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Russian National Guard fighters arrive at captured bank in central Moscow

Three employees and one visitor are in the seized bank office

© Artyom Geodakyan/TASS

MOSCOW, August 24. /TASS/. Russian National Guard fighters have arrived at the captured bank in downtown Moscow. An unknown man seized an office of Citibank at around 19:00 Moscow Standard Time.

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Moscow bank hostage taker calls himself bankrupt businessman

Chief of the Moscow City Interior Department, Anatoly Yakunin, has arrived at 15, Bolshaya Nikitskaya Street as well.

At the time of reporting, Yakunin and other Interior officials could be seen standing in front of the building where office is located.

The personnel of the engineering and demolitions section of the Interior Department also arrived at the scene, as the man threatened with setting off an explosive device.

A TASS correspondent also reported that a Rapid Deployment Police Task Force detachment and Federal Security Service (FSB) officers arrived at the site.

According to the Interior Ministry, three employees and one visitor are in the seized bank office in central Moscow.

"An emergency response center has been set up at the hostage taking scene. The incident occurred at 18.45 in the bank office at 15, Bolshaya Nikitskaya St. At the moment the traffic is blocked. Traffic police officers help organize special vehicles’ passage to the scene," the source said, adding that three employees and one visitor remain in the bank office.

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