News / More

Armed man takes Ukrainian bus passengers hostage

Tuesday, 21 July 2020 10:02 AM [ Last Update: Tuesday, 21 July 2020 10:02 AM ]

Ukrainian law enforcement officers lie on the ground behind a car near a passenger bus, which was seized by one person in the city of Lutsk, Ukraine, on July 21, 2020. (Photo by Reuters)

An armed man has seized a bus in western Ukraine and taken about 20 people on board hostage, police say.

Police blocked off the center of the western city of Lutsk after the man — who said he was armed with weapons and was carrying explosives — took control of the bus on Tuesday.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Facebook that “shots were heard, the bus was damaged,” adding, “Every effort is being made to resolve the situation without casualties. I keep the course of events under personal control.”

The assailant’s demands were not immediately known.

An armored personnel carrier and other vehicles block a road during a hostage rescue operation following the seizure of a passenger bus in the city of Lutsk, Ukraine, on July 21, 2020. (Photo by Reuters)

Deputy Interior Minister Anton Gerashchenko said in a statement on Facebook that the man, who called the police himself after seizing the bus at 9:25 am (0725 GMT), had introduced himself as Maksim Plokhoy.

Gerashchenko said there was a book online signed by Maksim Plokhoy and titled “Philosophy of a criminal,” depicting a man’s experience in jail.

“For 15 years they’ve been correcting me, but I haven’t been corrected, on the contrary — I’ve become even more who I am,” Gerashchenko quoted one extract from the book as saying.

Press TV’s website can also be accessed at the following alternate addresses:

www.presstv.co.uk