KYIV, March 6 (The Sun) - A member of Ukraine's peace negotiations team has been shot dead amid claims he may have been spying for Russia.

Officials in Kyiv said Denis Kireev, 45, a spy and former banker, was killed during an operation "defending the nation".

The government hailed him a hero hours after MPs had earlier claimed he had committed "treason" and was executed by the Ukrainian intelligence agency.

Both Russian and Ukrainian sources made claims about his alleged spying activities including that he may have been working for both sides.

Mr Kireev's name was not on the list of Ukraine's official delegation to peace talks with Russia last week.

However he was pictured sitting on the Ukrainian side of the negotiating table at the first round of talks on February 28.

His exact role in the summit was unclear.

Yesterday gory photographs posted online showed Mr Kireev dead in a pool of blood.

Uncorroborated sources claimed he was "literally executed" in the centre of Kyiv.

Rumours then quickly began circulating which claimed Ukraine executed Mr Kireev because he was spying for Putin's war machine.

Russia claimed the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) shot him during an arrest attempt.

Senor Ukrainian politicians were among those in Kyiv who claimed Mr Kireev died while in SBU detention.

Last night Ukraine's ministry of defence confirmed he was dead in a tribute to three "spies", without revealing how they died.

An official statement said: “During the execution of special tasks, three spies were killed - employees of the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Internal Affairs.