Disagreed with the circus administrators

According to Fox News, Solodyuk told the Russian news outlet Daily Storm that he was cooperating with the police after the attack and emphasized that he had never experienced anything like this in all his years working with Yashka. He attributed the incident to the bear’s irritation, explaining:

“Yashka is huge (weighs 660 pounds), sick, and old — 16 years old. The animal occasionally hurts joints… In spring and autumn, just like in people, Yashka’s problems worsen. This time, the bear crouched on the stage and, apparently, felt pain.”

The circus, rather than showing compassion, also attempted to blame the audience, claiming that the bear’s aggression was triggered by flash photography. While that may have been a factor, it’s important to recognize that no amount of flashes should push an animal to violence — especially one that’s been systematically abused by a circus.

Solodyuk clarified that he didn’t work directly for the circus but was hired for the show after finding the contracts online. He disagreed with the circus administrators, who claim that the flash photography triggered the attack.

The circus manager stated that neither the trainer nor the bear sustained serious injuries during the incident, but to me, this incident serves as a glaring reminder of why wild animals should never be part of a circus. They aren’t entertainment props.