Russian businessman holds his own wife and 3 children hostage

The man took hostage of his family in his own apartment

An emergency situation took place in the Russian city of Vologda. An unknown man took several people hostage in one of apartment blocks in Karl Marx Street of the city. Special services, rescue teams and fire brigades were given the alarm early in the morning today.

The area around the building has been cordoned off.

The local radio station Premier reported, the hostage-taker's name was Alexander Vishnyakov. The man took hostage of his own family – his wife and three children. Alexander Vishnyakov is the general director of the Vologda-based factory Dormash. 

The operation to release the hostages has been completed successfully. No one of the hostages was said to be injured.

The youngest child is only 1.5 months old. A spokesman for the Vologda special services said that law-enforcement officers started conducted negotiations with Alexander Vishnyakov at night. The man wanted to have a meeting with Vologda Mayor Aleksey Yanukevich or someone of his deputies, the Premier radio station said.

The director of the above-mentioned factory allowed the hostages to move in the apartment freely. However, he did not let anyone go out – the man was threatening his family with a sporting gun. Vishnyakov's wife opened the windows of the apartment at 10 a.m., when her husband was in the bathroom. A special group of military men stormed the apartment. Nobody, including the hostage-taker, was injured as a result of the storm.

After the operation ended successfully, Alexander Vishnyakov was taken to a local hospital. Police officers said that the man had had a nervous breakdown. His family is currently staying at home to testify.