On Tuesday, an armed man reportedly took 20 people hostage after seizing a bus at 9:25 am (local time) in Lutsk, Ukraine. As per the report, the man is in possession of weapons and explosives. The city of Lutsk is 400 km away from the Ukrainian capital Kyiv.
Reportedly, the Ukrainian police have now sealed off the centre of the city. The police officers have been able to establish his identity and are now trying to contact him. As per reports, the man had been disenchanted by the ‘Ukraine’s system’, and he expressed his frustration about the same on social media.
However, the attacker has claimed that he has also seized another bus and taken people hostage. The armed man has also threatened to blow up the bus. “Gunshots have been heard, the bus is damaged”, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy was quoted as saying. As per reports, it has not been clear whether any of the hostages are injured. Zelenskiy added that they are trying to solve the crisis with any fatalities.
UKRAINE: Hostage situation reported in city of Lutsk, automatic gunfire can be heard on livestream from Suspilne Volyn on Facebook.https://t.co/GKzSj4tpuy pic.twitter.com/qAznmz85AE
— Conflict News (@Conflicts) July 21, 2020
‘Do not trust the system’, says Ukraine attacker
In a video that has now surfaced online, the attacker has reportedly urged people to not trust the ‘system’ of the country. He goes by the Twitter account Maxim Plohoy and his bio reads, “Author of the book Philosophy of Criminal.” According to his anarchist-like manifesto, he believes that today is ‘anti-system’ day and his death will not prevent the ‘truth’.
Several armoured vehicles have been deployed at the crime scene. Besides, snipers have been positioned at key locations on rofftops.
