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Russia mission hostage drama ends Costa Rica embassy drama ends
(41 minutes later)
A hostage crisis at the Russian embassy in Costa Rica has ended with an armed man surrendering to police. A hostage drama at the Russian embassy in Costa Rica's capital, San Jose, has ended peacefully with an armed man turning himself over to police.
The man is believed to have held hostages for several hours at the embassy in San Jose, Costa Rica's capital, before giving himself up. The incident lasted several hours amid conflicting reports that the man was holding several people hostage, including Russian diplomats.
Russian diplomats were reportedly among the hostages. It is not clear whether any of the hostages were hurt. But later reports said he had argued with another visitor at the embassy, before taking him hostage.
The identity of the gunman - believed to be from the former Soviet Union - was not immediately known. The armed man is said to be a Kazakh national living in Costa Rica.
Local TV showed live images of police escorting the attacker - as well as the alleged hostage - from the embassy.
"It all ended without violence, without loss of life," Russian Ambassador Valery Nikolayenko was quoted as saying by Reuters news agency.
"All the embassy staff are just fine," he said.
The motives of the attacker remain unclear, but there were reports that he was involved in a dispute over money.