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Ambulances Attacked by Patients and Hooligans

Paramedics helping a woman by Belorussky Station. Ambulance crews were attacked three times Monday night. Igor Tabakov

Ambulances have been targeted in three separate attacks over the past 24 hours, highlighting the often thankless job that paramedics face in Moscow.

The first incident occurred around 7 p.m. Monday when paramedics answered an emergency call at 14 Mozhaiskoye Shosse in western Moscow, Interfax said, citing an unidentified source in Moscow's medical community.

"The intoxicated patient started a quarrel right there in the ambulance, breaking the GPS navigator in the driver's cabin," the source said.

The second incident occurred about half an hour later at 10 Ulitsa Moldagulova in southwestern Moscow. The driver was waiting alone in the ambulance when an unknown person snuck up on the vehicle, punctured two tires and fled.

The last instance happened around 3:30 a.m. at 9 Leningradskoye Shosse in northern Moscow.

"The driver of the vehicle was awaiting the return of the team of paramedics when someone threw a stone into the back window and fled," the source said.

Paramedics are often attacked by patients and hooligans, Interfax said, adding that on Sunday a drunk patient struck a paramedic on the head with a rolling pin. The incident was reported to the police.

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