Animal cruelty... or the ultimate sacrifice by man's best friend? Shocking moment man throws a dog to a polar bear 'to distract it from attacking a woman'

  • Footage shows a man dragging a dog along the ground and picking it up 
  • He then hurls it towards a polar bear who quickly starts to attack the pet 
  • Comes as a woman off camera is heard screaming and encouraging man 
  • Another video showed a woman in same area being attacked by the bear 

This is the shocking moment a man picks up a live dog and throws it at a polar bear - supposedly in a bid to distract the animal from attacking a woman.

The scene at a coastal facility in the Russian Arctic has caused outrage and fuelled demands for retribution, as the bear uses its claws to attack the yelping dog.

A screaming woman off camera appears to encourage the man to throw the dog to what seems to be certain death.

The man can be seen approaching the dog and appearing to pick it up as the polar bear can be seen in the distance 

The man can be seen approaching the dog and appearing to pick it up as the polar bear can be seen in the distance 

He then lifts the dog off from the ground as he prepares to sacrifice it to the animal on the step below 

He then lifts the dog off from the ground as he prepares to sacrifice it to the animal on the step below 

In fact, the dog may have fled the scene, but it is not totally clear.

Yet it now appears the man, in hurling the dog towards the predator, was seeking to deflect the bear from attacking a stranded woman.

The pictures and video of the perpetrator flinging the dog to the bear - apparently in Chukotka, a region of eastern Russia where Roman Abramovich was once the local governor - are deeply disturbing.

There were calls for an investigation by animal rights groups and for the man to be severely punished.

As a woman screams and encourages him in the background he then hurls the dog into the air 

As a woman screams and encourages him in the background he then hurls the dog into the air 

After throwing the dog to the polar bear, he appears to run away as the animal starts attacking the yelping pet 

After throwing the dog to the polar bear, he appears to run away as the animal starts attacking the yelping pet 

Yet the second film shows a woman being attacked by a polar bear and then escaping, without her trousers.

It is unclear if she successfully fled from the polar bear.

The two videos seem to be at the same location, believed to be Cape Schmidt in Chukotka, the most easterly region of Russia, almost touching Alaska.

In another video a polar bear can be seen attacking a woman at the same location in Russia, with the bear trying to sink its teeth into her 

In another video a polar bear can be seen attacking a woman at the same location in Russia, with the bear trying to sink its teeth into her 

It is not known when the videos were shot, but one version says it was three years ago, although the footage was not previously widely seen.

According to VostokMedia the woman was later taken to hospital where she was treated for non-life threatening cuts.

The bear was found and destroyed.

It is believed the woman had thrown the polar bear a chicken bone and was moving forward to give it more when it attacked.

But some online commentators have wondered whether the woman was drunk and throwing up at the beginning of the video, or indeed urinating. 

The comments below have not been moderated.

The views expressed in the contents above are those of our users and do not necessarily reflect the views of MailOnline.

By posting your comment you agree to our house rules.

Who is this week's top commenter? Find out now