Demand for audible bear deterrents in Russia surged by 228% between June and September compared to the same period in 2025, according to the RWB press service (as reported by the Ostorozhno, Novosti channel). In absolute terms, however, the market remains small, amounting to only hundreds of units.
The rise coincided with a series of bear attacks on humans. One recent tragedy occurred in Tuva. While fishing on the Bolshoi Yenisei River, a bear attacked 62-year-old hockey coach Alexander Kuzmenko – the father of Andrei Kuzmenko, a forward for the NHL’s Pittsburgh Penguins. Friends managed to fend off the animal and call for help, but Alexander had sustained severe soft-tissue injuries to his face and later died in the hospital. He had coached for many years and had trained his own son during the latter’s childhood at the Belye Medvedi (Polar Bears) hockey school in Moscow.
Specialized aerosols, flares, and powerful sound-based devices are considered the most reliable forms of protection against large animals. A US study analyzing actual encounters found that ‘bear spray’ stopped unwanted brown bear behavior in 92% of cases, and 98% of users remained uninjured.
A standard air horn (120–130 dB) costs around 700–1,000 rubles; a pyrotechnic Medvezhy Grom (Bear Thunder) device costs approximately 500 rubles; and a specialized 225 ml Control-AS Anti-Bear aerosol costs about 4,000 rubles. The latter is noticeably larger than the standard 65-milliliter pepper spray and contains roughly three times as much liquid formula.