A man who took 11 hostages at the Ukrposhta post office in Kharkiv on December 30, 2017 was earlier brought to criminal liability, according to Oleh Bekh, the head of the National Police office in Kharkiv region.

"We know that this person led an antisocial way of life. He was born in 1977. He is a resident of Kharkiv. He has already been brought to criminal liability for drug offenses. He most likely needs the assistance of psychiatrists," Bekh told reporters late on Saturday, December 30.

"He is safe and sound. He sustained suffered minor injuries during his detention and a clash with one of the hostages," he added.

According to Bekh, the man, according to the hostages, was in a state of alcoholic intoxication.

"He was not quite in a normal state. We will already establish this through psychiatric examinations… Hostages told us that he used alcoholic drinks at the scene," he said.

According to Kharkiv Regional Prosecutor Yuriy Danylchenko, law enforcers will register the detention of the man in accordance with Article 208 of the Criminal Procedure Code, after which they will appeal to court within three days to choose a measure of restraint for the detainee.

"Undoubtedly, it will be a petition to choose a measure of restraint in the form of custody without bail," Danylchenko said.

As reported, a man seized the Ukrposhta post office near the Rost shopping center at Shevchenka Street in Kharkiv at about 15.00 on December 30. The attacker threatened to blow himself up.

The investigative directorate of the main office of the National Police of Ukraine in Kharkiv region started a pre-trial investigation under Part 2, Article 147 (hostage taking) of the Criminal Code of Ukraine. The man faces up to 15 years of imprisonment.