Police in western Russia briefly detained and then released a man who allegedly opened fire at stray dogs from his apartment window, the Interfax news agency reported.
The man is accused of spending an hour on Sunday night firing an air rifle at the animals from his five-story window in the town of Bryansk, the report said. It was not immediately clear whether any of the dogs were hurt in the shooting.
Police briefly detained the man and then released him, citing his history of mental illness, Interfax reported. Children were playing in a nearby playground at the time of the shooting, the report added.
Stray dogs roam the streets of many Russian cities and town, and attacks by — and against — the animals have become increasingly frequent. While animal rights activists call for humane control measures, vigilantes around the country have sought to kill the stray dogs by shooting or administering poison.