The President thanked all the special services personnel who took part in the special operation. At 6:30 a.m. a Chechen citizen, Sultan-Said Idiyev, hijacked a bus with 35 passengers bound for Stavropol at the Nevinnomyssk bus terminal.
Threatening the driver with weapons, he forced him to drive out of the city. En route the bus was surrounded by police vehicles and escorted to Mineralniye Vody airport.
After many hours of negotiations with the criminal the Russian FSB officers managed to secure the release of 10 people, most of whom were women and children.
In the evening it was decided to storm the bus. In a lightning-swift operation the terrorist, who had a plastic charge and several firearms, was liquidated. Twenty-five passengers were freed, one of whom was lightly wounded.