His detainment was latest move in a crackdown on the previous government since President Viktor Yanukovich took power.

"Lutsenko went out with his dog and turned the corner to where there were no CCTV cameras", the People's Self-Defense party said in a statement.

"There, 11 masked SBU servicemen... snatched him and took him away in a minivan", they said, referring to the SBU security service. Lutsenko's son ran after him and retrieved his phone and the dog before the former minister was taken away.

Neither the SBU nor prosecutors could be immediately reached on December 26 for comment.

The state prosecutor's office this month charged Lutsenko with abuse of office, saying he had embezzled state funds. Correspondent said he denied any wrongdoing and dismissed the charges as politically-motivated.

Lutsenko's case is the latest in a string of criminal probes against senior members of the previous government, which culminated this month when prosecutors charged former Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko with abuse of office.

Tymoshenko also dismissed the accusations as a political attack by the government of Yanukovich, who narrowly beat her in a February presidential runoff.

Tymoshenko was ordered not to leave the country and is regularly summoned by prosecutors for questioning but has so far avoided detention and arrest.

Among other member of her government facing criminal charges are former economic minister Bohdan Danylyshyn and former environmental minister Georgy Filipchuk.