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Lutsk terrorist detained, all hostages alive and free

The operation began with an explosion, the hostages then left the bus

© © Ukrainian Police Press Office via AP

KIEV, July 21. /TASS/. Ukrainian law enforcement officers captured the terrorist, who hijacked a passenger bus in the city of Lutsk more than 12 hours ago, according to a live broadcast of the special operation aired by the 112 Ukraine TV channel.

The operation began with an explosion, the hostages then left the bus. The vehicle was then surrounded and stormed.

Shortly after, Ukrainian Interior Minister Arsen Avakov confirmed that all hostages had been released. "All of them are unharmed," he wrote on Twitter.

During a media briefing after the operation, Avakov confirmed the information.

"No one was wounded. No other explosive device was found in the city," he told reporters.

Speaking about the assailant, the minister described him as a "mentally unstable person."

Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky later confirmed that the operation had been successful.

"My greetings to everyone who fought for the release of the people in Lutsk - practically for their lives - all day long. There were no casualties," the Ukrainian leader wrote in his Telegram channel.

"We all were worried and followed the events as they unfolded, we made plans and changed them according to the situation. Human life is of utmost value. There is no place for terrorism in any country," Zelensky said.

Ukrainian law enforcement officers on Tuesday detained suspected accomplices of the man who took 13 people hostage in the city of Lutsk, Ukrainian interior ministry’s chief spokesman Artyom Shevchenko said.

"Individuals to whom he had certain links were detained in Kharkov," the spokesman said, without providing any further information.

A bus in Lutsk with around 20 people onboard was hijacked earlier on Tuesday. The police said the terrorist was armed with grenades and an automatic weapon. The man himself informed the police about seizing the bus and noted that he had "planted another landmine in a crowded place in the city which can detonate." Ukraine’s media outlets reported that he had a previous criminal record.

Since taking the people hostage, the terrorist opened fire at law enforcement officers twice, hurled a grenade that did not explode and tried to shoot down a police quadcopter. People living in nearby buildings next to the scene were evacuated. The Ukrainian security service launched criminal proceedings on charges of terrorism.

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