In Poltava, a terrorist with a grenade released a police officer taken hostage in exchange for the head of the Criminal Investigation Department of the Main Directorate of the National Police of Ukraine in Poltava region, after that he demanded a car and is currently driving it towards the exit from the city.

"On July 23 at 09:00 on Ostapa Vyshni Street, near the building of the administrative court, during the arrest of the hijacker by police officers, the latter took out an RGD-5 grenade, which he threatened to blow up," the Criminal Investigation Department of the National Police said.

According to the information, the situation was aggravated by the fact that the terrorist had taken a criminal investigation officer as a hostage.

"After talks, the terrorist changed a detained officer of the criminal investigation department for Head of Criminal Investigation Department of the Main Directorate of the National Police of Ukraine in Poltava region, police colonel Vitaliy Shyian, with whom he drove in a vehicle provided due to his requirements in the direction of leaving the city, for a detained employee of the criminal investigation department," the department said.

At present, a special operation is underway to detain the terrorist.

Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs of Ukraine Anton Geraschenko said that talks with the terrorist were continuing, and the police had launched a special operation "Hrim" (Thunder).

"The talks are continuing, the purpose of which is to force the terrorist to surrender to the police without harming himself or others. Police special operation "Hrim" (Thunder) has been launched, Geraschenko wrote on his Facebook page.