Ukraine Hostage Situation Under Control as President Endorses Joaquin Phoenix Movie

Ukranian President Volodymyr Zelensky had to bow down to a gunman's bizarre demand of endorsing an animal rights documentary movie-- Earthlings-- voiced by Joaquin Phoenix, in order to clear a hostage situation that lasted for 12 hours in the city of Lutsk.

The accused, who has been named by police as Maksym Kryvosh, 44, had taken 10-13 people hostage on a bus. President Zelensky had to post a short video on the presidential Facebook page, with the words, "Everyone should watch the 2005 film Earthlings," to ensure safety of those detained by Kryvosh. The gunman has now been caught and the posted video deleted.

After a six-second clip was uploaded on social media by President Zelensky and Kryvosh successfully detained, Interior Minister Arsen Avakov posted photos and videos on his Twitter of people being escorted by security officers and a man in jeans lying face down on the asphalt with hands behind his back. Thankfully, all hostages were unharmed in the entire operation.

As per reports, Kryvosh is an animal rights activist with a criminal record for gun possession. A special assault operation to capture Kryvosh was also being planned after he took people as hostages, but was eventually turned down. President Zelensky had stressed his most important aim throughout the ordeal was to ensure there was no loss of life. "We are not fighting for popularity ratings, we are fighting for life. This is the primary value for me."