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Special forces capture 'terrorist' who threatened to detonate bomb in Kiev business center (VIDEO) Special forces capture ‘terrorist’ who threatened to blow up Kiev business center (VIDEO)
(about 1 hour later)
Ukrainian special forces have detained a man who claimed to have an explosive device and was holed up in a Kiev business center, according to officials. Ukrainian special forces have detained a man who claimed he had a bomb in his backpack and had threatened to blow up a business center in the capital.
The unidentified man earlier walked into a bank located in the city’s Leonardo business center and announced that he had a bomb in his backpack. He ordered a bank employee to call the police, Ukraine’s Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs Anton Gerashchenko said. The perpetrator made his way into a bank in the Leonardo business center at noon, announcing that he was carrying an explosive device. He had a cord attached to his leg, which was attached, in turn, to a backpack he claimed contained a bomb. 
He stressed that the police were keen to negotiate with the man to bring an end to the standoff. While the bank employees had fled the building, their boss had chosen to remain inside, Gerashchenko claimed, later clarifying that he was sharing preliminary information that had not been verified. He ordered an employee to call the police, reportedly wanted to give an interview to the media, and demanded 40,000 hryvnas, which is a rather modest sum – around $1,440. 
“In any case, we would describe this as a terrorist act,” he added. The bank staff were able flee the building, but their female boss elected to remain inside as a hostage. 
As law enforcement agents urged the man to surrender, people have been asked to avoid the area. Police and special forces soon arrived on site, blocking the entrance to the business center with an armored vehicle.
Armored vehicles were brought up to the place of the special operation near the Kiev bank. Law enforcement agents initially offered the man the chance to surrender, but he refused to do so. 
The Ukrainian authorities have identified the suspect, who is believed to be an 32-year-old Uzbekistan citizen. As a result, members of Ukraine’s Security Service, wearing civilian clothes, moved in and detained the hostage-taker, with his swift arrest being broadcast live on the internet. 
Gerashchenko added that the situation appeared to mirror an incident last month in the western city of Lutsk, in which a gunman took around 20 hostages. He later freed his captives, after President Volodymyr Zelensky complied with his demand to publicly endorse “Earthlings,” a 2005 American documentary narrated by Joaquin Phoenix about humanity’s use of animals as pets, food, clothing, entertainment, and for scientific research. Police were then able to successfully disarm and arrest the hostage-taker.  “The explosion didn’t happen,” Ukraine’s Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs Anton Gerashchenko wrote on Facebook, adding that the “terrorist was captured alive.”
The man was identified as Karimov Sukhrob, 32, a citizen of Uzbekistan. Gerashchenko speculated that he may be a “mentally unstable person.” It’s not yet clear what made him commit the reckless act and whether he really had a bomb. 
A criminal case of terrorism has nonetheless been launched against him for hostage-taking and threatening an explosion.
Gerashchenko pointed out that today’s events in Kiev appeared to mirror an incident last month in the western city of Lutsk in which a gunman took around 20 hostages. He later freed his captives, after President Volodymyr Zelensky complied with his demand to publicly endorse “Earthlings,” a 2005 American documentary narrated by Joaquin Phoenix about humanity’s use of animals as pets, food, clothing, entertainment, and for scientific research. Police were then able to successfully disarm and arrest the hostage-taker.
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