Two women were mauled to death and buried by bears in the Krasnoyarsk region of Siberia, according to reports from early September 2026. The victims, identified as Galina Teterina, 73, and Zoya G., 67, were separately picking mushrooms near Podtyosovo when they disappeared.
First responders discovered their bodies buried in the ground approximately 16 feet apart. Authorities believe Zoya G. was attacked and buried first, followed by Teterina hours later at the same location. The circumstances of the attacks have led to a heightened alert in Krasnoyarsk city, with increased patrols and monitoring by law enforcement.
Increased Bear Activity
The incidents are part of what is described as one of the worst summers on record for bear attacks in the region. Hungry bears have been increasingly venturing into urban areas to scavenge for food due to shortages of their natural diet, such as pine nuts and berries, exacerbated by drought and wildfires. Students at the Siberian Federal University in Krasnoyarsk were ordered to remain in their dormitories due to a bear threat.
In a separate incident in the Altai Mountains, Snezhana Korolyova, 29, was killed by a brown bear while camping with her boyfriend. The bear reportedly dragged her from their tent and buried her body. The victim's parents have expressed anger, blaming her fiancé for insisting on sleeping in a tent despite known bear threats.
Recent videos shared on social media have depicted aggressive bear behavior, including attacks on animals and people in industrial areas. Officials state that any repeated appearance of predators near humans poses a direct threat. Bear control officers have killed over 120 "conflict" predators this year, more than double the number from the previous year. This increase is attributed not to a larger bear population, but to bears being "hungrier and bolder."