National Guard troops have been sent to a northern Russian region at the heart of longstanding resistance to importing Moscow’s trash, the investigative Novaya Gazeta newspaper reported on Tuesday. Residents have opposed plans to build the 10.5 billion ruble ($160.7 million) Shiyes landfill in Arkhangelsk region since last summer. Arkhangelsk is one of dozens of regions that have staged protests against Moscow’s plan to solve its own trash crisis by shipping waste to surrounding provinces.

На Шиес прибыли вооруженные росгвардейцы. Защитники лагеря активистов ожидают штурмhttps://t.co/5ELOfEtTmP pic.twitter.com/M1bHs3bXPj — Новая Газета (@novaya_gazeta) 30 апреля 2019 г.

National Guard troops and police have arrived at a rail station in the former village of Shiyes armed with shields, helmets and unidentified “weapons,” Novaya Gazeta reported. The troops and police officers were deployed to where residents and activists are standing guard against heavy equipment intended to help build the landfill, the local newsnord.ru website reported, citing two unnamed law enforcement sources.