“'Beast from the East' Nikolai Valuyev under fire over bear and beaver shooting” is an article published today by The Telegraph. It examines the recent scandal around the hunting habits of one of Russian MPs and former boxer, Nikolay Valuev, who has been criticised for posting online photos of him shooting a bear and a beaver.
“He is known as the "Beast from the East" for his enormous frame and gargantuan head,” the article reads.
“Nikolai Valuyev, the 7ft Russian boxer and former two-time WBA world heavyweight champion, has boosted his brutish image by killing another giant: a full-grown brown bear.
The 23-stone sportsman, who retired in 2009 after losing to British rival David Haye, is under investigation for allegedly breaking hunting rules when he shot the bear. He also showed off a dead beaver,” states the article.
“The posts caused a squall of protest in social media, with some critics suggesting the bear had been shot out of season. Others ridiculed the idea the animal had been encountered by chance”.
“Mr Valuyev later deleted the pictures – taken earlier this month – and apologised for causing upset, but said he had shown documents to officials that demonstrated the legality of his hunting trip in the Arkhangelsk region of northern Russian.
"I'm sorry if I upset anybody with my photographs," he said, adding: "But I will remain a hunter," the article concludes.
