A man reported to have an explosive device has seized a branch of the national postal company in Kharkiv. Reportedly, he had taken 11 people hostage, but then released five of them: three women and two children.
The man entered a Kharkiv office of national postal service Ukrposhta at about 2.30 p.m. on Dec. 30, reportedly carrying explosives. His motives are unknown.
According to Ukrposhta Deputy CEO Oleksandr Pertsovskyi, three of 11 captives were the workers of Ukrposhta. The others were members of the public, including two children. Pertsovskyi says police are negotiating with the man.
“We just hope it will come off favorably,” Pertsovskyi told the Kyiv Post.
The National Police press service did not respond to Kyiv Post phone calls.
National Police spokesperson Yaroslav Trakalo, however, told Ukrainian media Ukrainska Pravda that the unknown man seized the premises of the Ukrposhta office to rob it.
“The man said that he was wearing an explosive belt, which he’s ready to use,” Trakalo said. “We do not know his demands though.”
Trakalo also added that the police got to know about the situation at 2.40 p.m. from the husband of a woman who was working at the office.
“He said that the man entered the office to rob it,” he said.
The head of the Kharkiv department of the National Police Oleh Bekh told Ukrainian television channel 112 that law enforcement have little information about the robber.
“We know neither the type of explosive nor the weapons this man has,” Bekh said. “He’s extremely calm though.”
According to Bekh, the robber communicates with police using the phones of the hostages.
The police have cordoned off the territory around the office at the intersection of Shevchenko and Matyushenko streets. Around 20 police, ambulance and fire fighter vehicles have arrived at the place together with a bomb disposal squad.
The police have also blocked off the traffic at the scene.
