The conversation lasted for up to 10 minutes. REUTERS
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has unveiled details of a special operation to free 13 hostages captured by a terrorist on a bus in Lutsk on July 21.
The president said on video shared by his Office that specialists were to assess the terrorist’s metal stability as his demands were “not quite clear,” according to the Ukrayinska Pravda media outlet.
“Everyone – from psychologists to negotiators – had been talking with him for about nine hours,” the president said. “The man wanted only one thing, he threatened and wanted only one thing – his demands had to be fulfilled.”
Read also Lutsk terrorist detained, all hostages freed (Video) “There were proposals to immediately commence a special operation but its ending was unknown.
That is, there would have been a SWAT operation, a quick one, I am sure it would have been effective, but there is always a risk that people might die, someone, a certain number of people might die, and this is very risky.
Therefore, after consultations I wanted to speak with that person over the phone. And to try to secure a chance that he will set the people free. I tried, talked to him,” the president said. Zelensky recalled that the detainee had talked to everyone for 10-15 seconds, after which he hung up. “Our conversation lasted for 7-10 minutes. We agreed that he would take the first step.
He would release several people. I asked him to release a wounded person, a pregnant woman and a child. He said that there was no wounded [The terrorist previously told journalists that there was a wounded person inside the bus] and that it was a bluff.
So we agreed that he would release the three persons and then I would record a video [The terrorist demanded that Zelensky should record a video where he should ask everyone to watch the documentary ‘Earthlings’ (2005) by Shaun Monson.
Zelensky indeed recorded the video and posted it on his Facebook page, but it was deleted after the operation was over]. [It was agreed that] as soon as the video appeared on social media, he would release all the remaining people 30 minutes after. It happened nearly that way. 30-40 minutes – and he released the hostages.
And all this is obvious to me. These are obvious steps to me,” Zelensky added. As UNIAN reported earlier, 13 hostages trapped on a bus in the western city of Lutsk were released at about 22:00 Kyiv time on July 21. © REUTERS
(C)UNIAN 2020
Credits were credits are due. Well done Zelensky! He talked with the terrorist personally and negotiated a deal.
Since when does a country’s president get involved in a minor hostage situation? Could this be a planned operation to boost his ratings? I just don’t trust the television clown.
Online media is full of the same accusations, that this was a publicity stunt to improve Zelensky’s ratings. Not to mention Avakov’s ratings drop too, over the complete inaction of anyone being prosecuted for the many journalists being attacked and killed in Ukraine.
Bingo, Facts. As usual you are right on top of it. Negotiations from a president that usually needs 24 hours to respond murdered medics or downed Ukrainian planes in foreign lands?
I think this will be the last we hear about this. The whole saga will be swept under the carpet, and quietly dropped. The first report I saw about the release of the hostages, was an article in the Canberra Times, Australia, no mention of it in the Ukrainian media. WTF is going on?
Well, you know Sir Foccusser, it was likely 112 and company had the scoop…
Is this for real? An actor and president. Wait, only an actor.
Yes it is official now, Ukraine has a clown president. But, at least he didn’t blow up apartment complexes for ratings or start a war in Chechnya for ratings.