- Category
- World
Number of Russians Killed by Bears Hits Record in Recent Weeks
Prefer U24 Media on Google
- Authors
![Photo of Katherina Popilnichenko]( "Photo of Katherina Popilnichenko")
-c439b7bd9030ecf9d5a4287dc361ba31.jpg "Photo of Katherina Popilnichenko")
In late August and early September 2026, reports of brown bear attacks on humans emerged almost daily from various regions of Russia, resulting in multiple deaths over three weeks.
According to the Ministry of Natural Resources of the Russian Federation, the brown bear population in Russia stands at 307.9 thousand individuals and has increased by 2.3 times since 1990, with the highest numbers concentrated in the Krasnoyarsk and Khabarovsk Krais, Kamchatka, and the Irkutsk Oblast, as reported Meduza.
We bring you stories from the ground. Your support keeps our team in the field.
Regional authorities have introduced high-alert regimes, movement restrictions, and culled hundreds of animals while appealing for federal legislative changes.
Fatal encounters occurred across several regions within three weeks. On August 19, in the Republic of Altai, a bear killed a 29-year-old female tourist sleeping in a tent. On August 31, two women went missing while gathering mushrooms in the Krasnoyarsk Krai and were found dead on September 2.
Days later, a bear killed a 40-year-old man in the same region, while another fatal attack occurred on September 7 in Buryatia during cattle herding.
Officials cite seasonal activity, food shortages in the taiga, access to waste, forest fires, and population growth as primary reasons for animals approaching residential areas. Regional authorities called the situation abnormal, noting that high population density creates spatial competition that drives bears toward human settlements.
To manage the threat, high-alert measures, curfews, and park restrictions were introduced across several areas, including the Kemerovo Oblast, Krasnoyarsk Krai, and Kamchatka. Local authorities authorized extensive culling, killing over 50 bears in the Republic of Altai and more than 180 in the Krasnoyarsk Krai.
Regional governors argue current regulations are outdated and demand faster procedures to remove problem animals. The Ministry of Natural Resources confirmed on September 11 that it is gathering regional proposals to amend wildlife laws.
However, biologists warn that culling alone will not resolve the issue without addressing unauthorized food waste and improper camping practices near settlements.
Previously, an international team of researchers analyzed automated camera trap footage from the Chornobyl exclusion zone to evaluate how the 2022 Russian military occupation altered the natural habits of local wildlife.
According to findings published in Science, the deployment of heavy armor, troop movements, and artillery fire forced large terrestrial mammals—including red deer, roe deer, moose, and red foxes—to drastically reduce their activity levels and limit nighttime movements compared to the previous year.
Scientists emphasized that the rare dataset provided clear evidence of how modern armed conflict and distant military technologies inflict severe ecological disruption on protected sanctuaries.
Discuss this article:
-111f0e5095e02c02446ffed57bfb0ab1.jpeg "Photo of Roman Kohanets")
