Story By: Feza Uzay, Sub-Editor: Marija Stojkoska, Agency:  Newsflash

This is the shocking moment a Russian driver pummels a deer to death with his bare fists and then a spanner after hitting the animal with his vehicle.

The incident was filmed near the town of Birobidzhan in the far-eastern Russian region of Jewish Autonomous Oblast, and the footage has been widely shared on social media over the weekend.

While travelling on the main road, the driver, named as Dmitry Konev, knocked down a roe deer and the man decided to ‘finish it off’ by punching its head repeatedly before turning to a metal spanner.

The footage shows the man punching the head of the semi-conscious animal as blood splatters on the snow.

Konev also teases the deer during the last moments of its life as his female companion named as Oksana Bukareva films the cruel scene.

Konev then drags the roe deer to his vehicle and uses a spanner from the boot to continue beating the animal as the woman eggs him on.

According to the news site Lenta, the driver is known to police and a criminal case of animal cruelty has been opened under article 245 of the country’s Criminal Code.

One villager said: “It doesn’t surprise me, everybody in the village knew that when he had a pet like a puppy or a dog, he wouldn’t have it for long.”

It is unclear if the man is under arrest yet as the investigation continues.

Oksana Tkacheva, head of the information and public relations at the local department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs said: “The issue of bringing him to justice for illegal hunting is also being considered.”