TWO GRANDMOTHERS ENTERED THE FOREST TO PICK MUSHROOMS — HOURS LATER, THEIR REMAINS WERE FOUND JUST 16 FEET APART

TWO ELDERLY WOMEN WERE KILLED IN SEPARATE BEAR ATTACKS IN SIBERIA AS AUTHORITIES PUT KRASNOYARSK ON HIGH ALERT

KRASNOYARSK, Russia — What began as an ordinary trip into the forest to pick mushrooms ended in tragedy for two elderly women who were reportedly attacked by a brown bear just hours apart.

Galina Teterina, 73, and Zoya G., 67, both ventured into a forest near the village of Podtyosovo in Russia’s Krasnoyarsk region.

Neither woman returned home.

Emergency responders later discovered their remains in the forest, reportedly buried in separate shallow “graves” only about 16 feet apart.

Local reports cited by The Sun suggest the same bear may have been responsible for both incidents, although authorities have not publicly established every detail of the sequence.

ZOYA MAY HAVE BEEN ATTACKED FIRST

According to reports, Zoya is believed to have encountered the bear first.

The animal reportedly attacked her and buried her remains in the forest.

Hours later, Galina apparently entered the same area while gathering mushrooms.

One local theory is that the predator remained nearby and attacked Galina after she unknowingly approached the location where Zoya had been attacked.

A local source suggested Galina may have seen Zoya’s belongings or remains before the second encounter.

However, that sequence has not been independently established by investigators, and officials have not publicly confirmed whether one bear was responsible for both attacks.

A HORRIFYING DISCOVERY IN THE FOREST

Emergency crews eventually found the two women in what were described in local reports as shallow burial sites.

The locations were reportedly separated by only around 16 feet.

The discovery immediately raised the possibility that the two incidents were connected.

The women had reportedly gone into the forest as part of a common local activity: collecting wild mushrooms.

Instead, the area became the scene of one of the region’s most disturbing wildlife incidents of the summer.

KRASNOYARSK PLACED ON HIGH ALERT

The attacks came amid growing concern about bear activity across the Krasnoyarsk region.

Authorities have reportedly declared a state of high alert because of an increasing number of bear sightings within populated areas.

Officials have warned that bears have been moving closer to people as they search for food.

The Sun reported that drought and wildfires have contributed to poor yields of pine nuts and berries — important parts of the bears’ natural diet.

With less food available in the forest, hungry animals have increasingly been venturing toward communities in search of alternative sources.

ANOTHER BEAR THREATENED A SCHOOL

The danger was underscored by another incident reported on the same day.

An aggressive young bear was reportedly encountered near a school in the suburb of Yemelyanovo.

Authorities responded and the animal was shot after being considered a threat.

At the same time, students at Siberian Federal University in Krasnoyarsk were reportedly ordered to remain inside their dormitories because of a bear threat.

The combination of sightings and attacks has intensified fears among residents about encounters with predators in areas where people normally feel safe.

THE CITY IS TAKING EXTRA PRECAUTIONS

Krasnoyarsk Mayor Sergey Vereshchagin said the high-alert measures would allow city services and law enforcement agencies to increase patrols, strengthen monitoring and respond more quickly to reports of predators.

The goal is to prevent further encounters between bears and residents as authorities try to track animal movements around populated areas.

For people who regularly enter the forest to collect mushrooms, berries or other natural foods, the situation is a stark reminder of the risks posed by wildlife when food supplies become scarce.

PART OF A WIDER PATTERN OF BEAR ATTACKS

The two women’s deaths are not an isolated case.

Last month, 29-year-old Snezhana Korolyova was reportedly attacked by a bear while camping in Russia’s Altai Mountains, just one day after becoming engaged.

According to reports, Korolyova and her fiancé were sleeping in a tent when a bear approached during the night.

The animal reportedly dragged the woman away from the campsite.

She did not survive.

The incident further fueled concerns about an unusually dangerous period for human-bear encounters across parts of Siberia and the Russian Far East.

QUESTIONS REMAIN ABOUT THE TWO ATTACKS

The most chilling unanswered question is whether the same bear attacked both Galina and Zoya.

The fact that their remains were reportedly discovered only 16 feet apart strongly suggests a connection, but proximity alone does not prove that a single animal was responsible.

Authorities will need to determine exactly what happened, whether the attacks occurred in the order described by local reports and whether the bear remains in the area.

For residents of Krasnoyarsk, the immediate concern is preventing another encounter.

As patrols increase and authorities monitor bear sightings, officials are urging people to remain cautious when entering forested areas.

For two grandmothers who simply went into the woods to gather mushrooms, the trip ended in a tragedy that has now placed an entire region on alert.