Rey Gore/The Siberian TimesThe world was left shocked after images emerged purporting to show a man who had miraculously survived being dragged into a bear den for a month.
Reports from Russia claimed the man – named Alexander P – was left with a broken spine following a bear attack, with the animal then storing him in its den as ‘tin-can’ food to be eaten later.
Described as an emaciated ‘speaking mummy’, Alexander was said to have been discovered by a group of hunters whose dogs refused to leave the area of the bear’s lair in the remote Republic of Tuva in Russia.
East2WestThe Siberian Times claimed Alexander had managed to survive his ordeal by drinking urine. The paper also claimed his body tissue had rotted after he had remained motionless for so long.
However, recent testimony from a doctor in Kazakhstan suggest this widely reported account may be false, as reported by the MailOnline.
After the troubling story broke, independent researchers tracked down Dr Rustam Isaev, the chief doctor of Aktobe Medical Centre in Kazakhstan.
Dr Isaev has insisted Alexander was his patient, and that he was suffering from psoriasis, not bear attack injuries. He has also claimed Alexander is a resident of Aktobe city in Kazakhstan, not Tuva.
East2WestAs reported by the MailOnline, Dr Isaev has said Alexander was illegally filmed by medics, with the footage then uploaded online.
Dr Isaev has expressed his intentions to ‘fire’ those responsible for filming his patient, telling the MailOnline:
As chief doctor here I’m saying you, this is our guy, he is not from Tuva nor anywhere else in Russia. Alexander P is a resident of Aktobe city in Kazakhstan.
He was treated in our hospital and at the end of this week was discharged, in satisfactory condition, into his mother’s care. He suffers from psoriasis.
He had been lying at home, suffering from apathy, he did not want to live. He was in a depressive state.
Dr Isaev continued:
He did not get treatment for his skin condition. He neglected his psoriasis, and in such a state he was brought to us.
Now his mother has taken him away.
PixabayThe patient’s mother is said to be ‘deeply upset’ about the rumours which have been spread about her son, sparked by this leaked footage.
According to the MailOnline, Dr Isaev said it was important to put a stop to the rumours circulating online:
Someone filmed him as he was undergoing medical assessment and leaked this to YouTube,’ he claimed.
Then he was described as if he was found in a bear den in Tuva. There was another version from Sochi (where reports, strongly denied locally, suggested that he had been found alive in a coffin.’
These are not true. He is from Aktobe and lives in Kazakhstan. He was brought to us about one week ago.
Dr Isaev continued:
It was totally not correct and wrong, I am also trying to find out who filmed this….I am conducting an internal investigation.
Obviously these were our [employees]. Maybe they were resending to each other and then it went further, as often happens.
Most likely these are young medical staff, who has no experience, who have never seen such patients.
Man mauled by bear & still alive. Found after a month! MADNESS! pic.twitter.com/zfGtpk1NZ9
— Tam Khan (@Tam_Khan) June 28, 2019
Dr Isaev is reportedly now conducting an internal investigation into who took the footage during the medical examination.
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Jules studied English Literature with Creative Writing at Lancaster University before earning her masters in International Relations at Leiden University in The Netherlands (Hoi!). She then trained as a journalist through News Associates in Manchester. Jules has previously worked as a mental health blogger, copywriter and freelancer for various publications.