A Russian mother has reportedly confessed to strangling her two children with a scarf before dumping their half-naked bodies in an icy ravine across the road in minus 15 degrees.

The incident took place in the city of Saratov in the Russian region of Saratov Oblast on 22nd December, and one child survived the ordeal.

Under questioning, the 43-year-old mother, name not disclosed, reportedly admitted to strangling her eight-year-old son and then five-year-old daughter because she felt they had no future.

She said that her boy asked her “Mum, what are you doing?” as she tied his arms and legs and began to choke him, according to local reports.

The mother then said that she threw her children’s half-naked bodies in a ravine near the house when they showed no signs of life.

She fled the scene and was later arrested in the city of Engels.

Around five hours later, when the temperatures were around minus 15 degrees Celsius, neighbours noticed the children in the ravine and called the emergency services.

The young boy died in the ambulance, however his little sister survived the ordeal and remains in hospital in a critical condition, according to the Investigative Committee of Russia.

The suspect worked as a cleaner and was divorced from the children’s father.

She reportedly told the police that the family’s domestic life was extremely difficult, adding: “Everything was terrible. The children had no future.”

The local authorities said they are looking into the family’s background to establish all the circumstances leading up to the tragic incident.

The police probe is ongoing.