2020 Lutsk hostage crisis

On 21 July 2020, a hostage crisis occurred in Lutsk, Volyn Oblast, Ukraine, when Maksym Kryvosh seized a BAZ A079 bus traveling from Krasnylivka to Berestechko and barricaded himself with 13 passengers aboard at Teatralna Square. Prior to the seizure, Kryvosh had posted on Twitter that "the state is the first terrorist" and issued demands that numerous Ukrainian officials, including judiciary heads, the Prosecutor General, the Minister of Justice, the Prime Minister, members of the Verkhovna Rada, the Minister of Defense, the head of the Security Service of Ukraine, and church leaders, publicly identify themselves as a "terrorist in law." He also demanded that President Volodymyr Zelenskyy urge the public to watch the 2005 documentary film *Earthlings*.

Kryvosh called police at 9:25 a.m., identifying himself as "Maksim Plokhoy" and claiming to have a bomb. The city center was blocked, and authorities launched "Operation Hostage" while the Security Service of Ukraine activated the "Boomerang plan." Police initially reported 20 hostages, a number later corrected to 13. Interior Minister Arsen Avakov traveled to Lutsk, and Zelenskyy stated he was working to resolve the situation without casualties. Journalist Yuriy Butusov reported that Kryvosh contacted him demanding journalists come to the scene. Preliminary reports indicated Kryvosh fired at police and threw a grenade that did not explode; three explosions were later reported near the bus, and the city police office came under fire. A released hostage, Natalia Bosa, said Kryvosh treated the hostages well, providing water and a bucket for use as a toilet, and that he apologized before their release.

Around 9:00 p.m., Zelenskyy spoke with Kryvosh by phone for about ten minutes, after which three hostages were released. Zelenskyy also recorded a video statement referencing *Earthlings*, which was later removed. At approximately 9:46 p.m., Kryvosh exited the bus with arms outstretched and was arrested without resistance. Special forces then stormed the bus using an armored personnel carrier and flash-noise grenades, freeing the remaining hostages, who were reported unharmed. Officials said the assault proceeded because police could not be certain Kryvosh would not act further.

Following the incident, Avakov reported that an accomplice had been arrested in Kharkiv. On 24 July, a Kharkiv court ordered the pretrial detention of the alleged accomplice, Dmytro Mykhaylenko, setting bail at ₴175,000. Kryvosh was charged under four articles of Ukraine's Criminal Code: hostage-taking, illegal handling of weapons, encroachment on the life of a law enforcement officer, and committing a terrorist act. He was later sentenced to 13 years, during which he reportedly threw a piece of soap at the judge. Ukrainian security services faced domestic criticism for allowing the president to negotiate directly with the hostage-taker. The National Police of Ukraine subsequently tightened security in nine western oblasts and Kyiv.