Ukraine bus hostage-taker surrenders after president agrees to promote ‘Earthlings’ show on Facebook
- Gunman releases passengers unharmed following leader Volodymyr Zelensky’s video message urging Ukrainians to watch animal rights documentary
- Local media says suspect is activist who helped protect stray dogs
An “unstable” armed man who seized more than a dozen hostages on a long-distance bus in Ukraine’s western city of Lutsk was detained late Tuesday after a stand-off that lasted for over 12 hours and all hostages were freed unharmed, officials said.
The assailant agreed to release the hostages following a 15-minute phone call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, Zelensky’s deputy chief of staff Kyrylo Tymoshenko told reporters.
Soon after the call, Zelensky posted a brief video message on his Facebook page to urge Ukrainians to watch Earthlings, a 2005 American documentary exposing humanity’s cruel exploitation of animals – as the hostage-taker had wanted.
Minutes later, the assailant walked out of the bus and surrendered to the police. Authorities said all 13 hostages he held were freed and no one was hurt.
Earlier, following negotiations with the first deputy chief of national police, Yevhen Koval, the man had released three of the hostages, including a pregnant woman. At one point during the conversation, he fired his gun through the bus window and a bullet narrowly missed Koval, who also brought water for the hostages.
After the drama ended, Zelensky hailed law enforcement officers for saving the hostages.