With billowing smoke, explosions, a gunfire exchange, and Special Forces rappelling down the building, Ukraine's security forces held a drill on Sunday simulating a hostage situation at the Israeli Embassy building in Kiev.
Ukrainian forces simulate hijacking at Israeli embassy
(קרדיט: משרד הפנים של אוקראינה )
The drill, which was coordinated with the embassy, included soldiers from the Ukrainian military's counterterrorism unit, the National Guard, the police, the State Emergency Service and Special Forces.
The scenario being drilled was a takeover of the embassy building by terrorists posing as visitors. The "terrorists" took embassy workers hostage and threatened to blow up the building.
After the negotiation "failed," the Ukrainian forces stormed into the building from all directions and captured the terrorists.
Huge amounts of military and police were stationed outside the embassy building during the mock takeover.
This is the second time an Israeli embassy is being used by foreign militaries in a counterterrorism drill. Last January, Romanian security forces drilled a similar hostage situation scenario at the Israeli Embassy in Bucharest.