Man allegedly armed with a bomb and weapon hijacks bus in Ukraine

A man allegedly armed with a bomb has hijacked a bus in a north-western city in the Ukraine.

Volyn region police have issued a hostage alert, Ukraine newsagency Interfax reports.

It is believed there are about 20 people on the bus.

“This morning, the 102 hotline received a message saying that a man, who possessed a bomb and weapon, hijacked a bus with hostages in Lutsk downtown,” the media outlet quoted a police statement as saying.

BREAKING: An armed man is reportedly holding around 20 hostages in a bus at Lutsk city centre in #Ukraine and has explosives.

— Ben Avery (@benavery9) July 21, 2020

Areas in the city’s central district are in lockdown.

“All services of the police are working on the spot,” the police statement said.

Chief of the Police of Volyn region Yuriy Kroshko said the suspected hijacker has posted a statement to his Twitter page.