Russian authorities say a garbage truck driver was shot and injured near a landfill outside Moscow that has triggered high-profile protests by locals who say it is emitting toxic fumes.
The driver on May 12 was hit in the arm with a bullet from an unidentified gun fired from a tree near the Yadrovo landfill on the outskirts of Volokolamsk, some 100 kilometers west of Moscow, regional police said in a statement.
The police statement did not identify the type of vehicle or its destination. But Russian news agencies cited regional police as confirming that it was a garbage truck.
The police statement indicated the incident happened about 4 kilometers from the Yadrovo landfill.
Volokolamsk residents have demonstrated against the dump since January, and the protests intensified after dozens of children were rushed to hospitals with symptoms of gas poisoning in March.
The largest rally in Volokolamsk took place on April 1, when several thousand people demanded the closure of the dump.
The high-profile protests triggered similar actions against landfills in several other towns near Moscow last month.
The Yadrovo landfill was opened in 2008 as a dumping site for garbage from Moscow and nearby regions.
Volokolamsk residents are set to vote on the possible closure of the dump in a June 17 referendum.
Russia's state-run TASS news agency cited the regional Health Ministry as saying that the driver was treated for his injury and did not require hospitalization.
Regional police said they were searching for the person who shot the driver and were determining whether to open a criminal case in connection with the incident.
