6 people killed in bear attacks in Siberia: "Under siege"

A sparsely populated region in Siberia, Krasnoyarsk, has witnessed a disturbing surge in bear attacks, resulting in the tragic loss of six lives. Prosecutors have launched an investigation into criminal negligence, accusing local authorities of inadequately regulating bear populations. The Russian brown bear population has more than doubled since 1990, reaching nearly 308,000 in 2026.

Despite an average of 20-30 bear attacks annually across the country, local media and officials have expressed growing concern over the escalating incidents. In the remote town of Podtyosovo, two pensioners were found severely mauled in a forest, followed by another fatality a month later. Additionally, two people lost their lives while foraging for berries in a forest along the Lena River.

The town of Abaza, home to 10,000 residents, has been effectively under siege by bears on all sides. Deputy head of the neighboring Khakassia region, Dmitry Buchenik, reported bears chasing off some while three others were killed. Unverified social media videos purportedly show bears swimming across rivers and leaping across roads.

Russia's emergency ministry states that bears typically flee from humans in the vast majority of encounters. Earlier this year, a family, including a child, was injured by a polar bear in a rare attack in far-north Siberia.