Story By: Gheorghi Caraseni, Sub Editor: Michael Leidig,  Agency: Central European News

This is the startling moment a Russian man swings an axe at a motionless bear in a trap, but just as he goes to strike the animal leaps into action and defends itself.

The incident took place in a forest near the city of Yakutsk in the eastern Russian region of the Republic of Sakha where the bear became caught in a trap set up by locals.

In the video, a man who has not been named in reports can be seen slowly walking towards the trapped bear which is lying still on the ground.

The man cautiously approaches the animal and then begins to swing his axe up behind his head.

As he begins to bring the axe down the bear jumps into life, running at the man who abandons his attack and sprints away.

The bear cannot get out of the trap and can be seen rolling on the ground as the man with the axe walks past the camera.

Local media report the bear was left lying on the ground but there have been no further updates on its condition.

Netizens slammed the locals for their cruel treatment of the bear, saying they were to blame for it coming into the residential area by leaving rubbish out which attracts the animals.

Netizen ‘iSeryozatozhe’ said: “They leave so much rubbish out there in the forest that the bear won’t ever stop coming for food.”

‘ssa13’ commented: “This is so cruel killing the bear with an axe. You’d rather use tranquilizer and then set it free or just shoot it if there is real danger.”