At least six people have been killed in bear attacks over the past month in the Siberian region of Krasnoyarsk, Russia, according to local prosecutors. Officials in a neighboring region reported that bears had "put one town under siege," highlighting the growing concern over the frequency of these incidents. Prosecutors have launched an investigation into criminal negligence, accusing local authorities of failing to manage the bear population and prevent encounters between bears and humans. Russia's brown bear population has more than doubled since 1990, increasing from approximately 130,000 to nearly 308,000 by 2026, according to the country’s natural resources ministry. While the overall number of bear attacks across Russia has remained relatively stable at 20 to 30 per year, local officials and media have raised alarms about the rising number of incidents in certain regions. According to a tally by The Moscow Times, at least 14 people have been killed in bear attacks nationwide since the start of this year. Recent attacks have been particularly severe. The bodies of two pensioners were found in a forest near the remote town of Podtyosovo earlier this month, and a 40-year-old factory worker was killed while walking through the forest on September 6. Two other people died while foraging for wild berries near the Lena River. In one incident, a 39-year-old logger was killed by a bear while guarding machinery in the forest. These attacks have prompted officials to take action, with some bears being killed in an effort to protect the townspeople. The deputy head of the neighboring Khakassia region, Dmitry Buchenik, described the forest town of Abaza as being "under siege by bears" after several attacks. He said that while some bears were chased away, three were killed, including one described as "huge." Unverified videos circulating on social media showed bears swimming across a river near the town and leaping across a road in front of vehicles. According to Russia’s emergency ministry, bears typically flee when encountering humans, but the recent incidents suggest a troubling shift in behavior. Earlier this year, a rare attack by a polar bear in northern Siberia injured three members of a family, including a child, further highlighting the risks posed by large predators in the region.