A stunt designed to celebrate the coming of Christmas turned deadly, according to reports from the Russian community of Chelyabinsk.
A man wearing a red robe to appear to be Grandfather Frost — a Russian version of Santa Claus — fell to his death from a 24-story residential building, according to the New York Post.
Video of the accident, which was posted on X, shows the man climbing over a balcony near the top of the building.
As he began what was supposed to be a stunt where he would rappel down the side of the building, he fell to his death.
WARNING: The following video contains graphic footage that some may find disturbing.
In Russian Chelyabinsk, a stunt actor, dressed as “Grandfather Frost” (Russian: Ded Moroz, an analogue of Santa), died trying to perform a stunt amid a public event. Note a happy “he has fallen!” (on upal!) announcement by the host, and laughs in the crowdpic.twitter.com/PCYHDovmD0
— Sergej Sumlenny, LL.M (@sumlenny) December 22, 2023
The Daily Mail said that during the video, someone in the crowd said, “He didn’t fall …?” A man then said, “Now he’ll come out [to see the children] … he couldn’t fall!.”
Reports from the scene said that his wife and children watched the man, who was described as a professional climber, fall, the Post reported.
A Russian news agency said onlookers were not fully aware of what had happened.
“My son didn’t understand anything,” one observer said, according to the Daily Mail. “Others understood, and they left in hysterics. All the parents, naturally, are in shock.”
Another person at the event said some assumed a dummy fell, not a man.
“The festivities carried on,” the witness said. “There was at first no suspicion that this was a tragedy.”
The management company that runs the building issued a statement after the tragedy, according to the Mirror.
“Today’s holiday turned into a monstrous misfortune. An industrial climber dressed as Grandfather Frost [Santa Claus] fell while descending from his house and died,” it said.
“We will do everything in our power to help the police understand the reasons and never allow this to happen again,” it said.
Russia refers to Grandfather Frost as Ded Moroz, and he has his granddaughter help him spread gifts to good children, according to Time.
Ded Moraz (Grandfather Frost) is a Russian Santa-Claus-type figure. Some claim Ded Moraz’s origins go back to a Slavic winter wizard or snow demon. Accompanied by his daughter the Snow Maiden, he stops the witch Baba Yaga stealing children’s presents. #FairyTaleTuesday #folklore pic.twitter.com/e35ol7hWAc
— David Castleton (Author) (@david_castleton) November 28, 2023
Grandfather Frost had been a feature of Russian culture until 1922, when the Soviet Union banned him.
He returned in 1935, when dictator Joseph Stalin allowed the figure to return, but ordained that Grandfather Frost be connected to New Year’s Day.
