Support The Moscow Times!

Russian Police Open Criminal Case Over Savage Attack on Bear

Police in Russia's Far East said Thursday they were investigating two men and a woman for animal cruelty after a video posted online showed a bear trapped beneath a jeep.

The comments audible in the video suggest the bear was run over eight times on the Pacific Ocean's Kuril islands before its tormentors used the jeep to pin the predator to the ground. The bear is then seen freeing itself, ripping a tyre off the jeep and attacking the other vehicle from which people were recording the incident.

“The people involved in this episode were quickly identified and detained within one working day,” police in the eastern region of Sakhalin said in an online statement.

They face a maximum sentence of two years in prison if charged and convicted.

Sign up for our free weekly newsletter

Our weekly newsletter contains a hand-picked selection of news, features, analysis and more from The Moscow Times. You will receive it in your mailbox every Friday. Never miss the latest news from Russia. Preview
Subscribers agree to the Privacy Policy

A Message from The Moscow Times:

Dear readers,

We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."

These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.

We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.

Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.

By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.

Once
Monthly
Annual
Continue
paiment methods
Not ready to support today?
Remind me later.

Read more