By JIM HEINTZ, Associated Press Writer
MOSCOW (AP) - Armed men entered a Moscow theater Wednesday and took the audience hostage, the Federal Security Service said.
The theater — which Russian media said had 700 people inside — was staging a performance of the musical "Nord-Ost," one of the Russian capital's most popular productions. The number of people inside could not be immediately confirmed.
The Interfax news agency said one of its reporters was inside the theater at the time of the raid. She told them by telephone that the armed men fired into the air and would not let the audience leave.
Interfax said its reporter believed there were about 20 men in the group, and also quoted unidentified law enforcement sources as saying the same. Interfax said some children had been allowed to leave the theater.
Police units and an Alpha special forces unit went to the scene and sealed off the area in the freezing, wet weather.
Russian President Vladimir Putin (news - web sites) was immediately told of the hostage taking, Interfax reported.
Located in southeastern Moscow in a working class neighborhood, the musical is based on Veniamin Kaverin's novel "Two Captains." The romantic novel recounts the story of two students and their different destinies during the Soviet times.
According to the theater's Web site, more than 350,000 people have seen the production since it opened.