YEKATERINBURG, February 16 (RIA Novosti) - A second man has died in the Urals city of Yekaterinburg from wounds sustained in a police operation after he took a woman hostage, a spokesman for local police said Thursday.
Valery Gorelykh said police had opened fire and killed the man's accomplice Wednesday in an operation that brought a dramatic stand-off to an end after the two men, who were being taking to stand trial in a prison convoy, had taken a woman guard hostage near a court building.
The young men pressed a knife against the woman's throat and demanded that they be released.
According to the spokesman, as the attackers refused to enter into any negotiations with the police, an operation was the only option. The woman was released unhurt, with knife on indentations on her neck the only physical sign of her ordeal.
Gorelykh said the police's use of weapons had been justified.
A spokesman for the regional court said the hostage-takers had been due to appear in a district court, which was considering extension of custody for one of them, 23-year-old Vladimir Slivov. He had served an earlier sentence for robbery, was released in April 2005 and then arrested in July on similar charges.
An inquiry has been opened into the incident.
