Man arrested after taking hostage, threatening to detonate bomb in Ukraine's capital

A man has been arrested after taking one hostage and threatening to detonate an explosive device in a business centre in the Ukrainian capital Kyiv in the nation's second hostage crisis in less than a month.

The man, later identified as 32-year old Uzbek national Sukhrob Karimov, walked into a bank at the Leonardo business centre at around noon on Monday, carrying a backpack.

After telling a bank manager that he had a bomb, all customers and staff were able to leave while the bank's manager volunteered to stay with Mr Karimov.

Details about the man's identity are scarce.

Anton Gerashchenko, Ukraine's deputy interior minister, said that Mr Karimov has mental issues but has not had any trouble with the law since he moved to Ukraine five  years earlier.

A picture of the hostage-taker that emerged before he was arrested showed him sitting next to the manager's desk, with his feet on the nearby chair.

Mr Karimov did not come up with any demands but asked to speak on live TV.

About two hours after he took the bank manager hostage, several journalists were allowed in to film him.

The man opened his speech by introducing himself as "Holy Spirit" and said that he disapproved of President Volodymyr Zelenskiy and was unhappy with his policies.

A few moments later, special forces officers rushed in and grabbed Mr Karimov from the chair he was sitting in.

Bomb squads were checking the premises on Monday afternoon after Mr Karimov was arrested, Ukraine's Security Service said.

The hostage-taker now "faces a trial and a lengthy prison sentence," according to Mr Gerashchenko.

Natalya Chuchupak, the bank manger, told reporters after her release that Mr Karimov came up to her and told her he had a bomb.

"I thought it was a joke," she said.

Asked by reporters why she looked so composed after spending two hours as the sole hostage, the smiley Ms Chuchupak said:

"I have a very stressful job."

Monday's incident follows a 12-hour standoff in the western city of Lutsk where an  armed man carrying explosives took 13 passengers hostage on a bus .

Police freed the passengers and arrested the attacker after President Zelenskiy agreed to his demand to post a film recommendation on social media. The man surrendered after seeing Mr Zelenskiy's video.