Alexander Kuzmenko, the 62-year-old father of Pittsburgh Penguins forward Andrei Kuzmenko, was killed in a bear attack during a fishing trip in Russia, the Pittsburgh Penguins confirmed. The attack happened while Alexander Kuzmenko was fishing with six other people in Tuva, southern Siberia, when a bear emerged from a nearby forest.
According to The New York Times, the fishing trip took place along the Krasnaya River. Alexander Kuzmenko was taken by boat to a settlement and then airlifted to a hospital. He later died. Russian broadcaster REN TV first reported his death, per the same account, and Russian officials had restricted the forest area because of significant bear activity before the trip occurred.
Alexander Kuzmenko was a long-time youth and development hockey coach in Russia who mentored Kontinental Hockey League players Nikita Korostelev and Daniil Grigoryev, as well as VHL player Alexander Pelevin, according to a fan discussion thread tracking the story. He guided his son Andrei through the sport as well, a coaching legacy that shaped one of the Penguins' newest forwards long before he reached the NHL.
A Remote River, Far From Help
The attack occurred along the Bolshoy Yenisey River in the Todzhinsky District of Tuva, an area roughly 112 miles from the nearest village, as reported by 930 WFMD. The seven-person party had traveled to the site by boat and set up camp there, a level of isolation that severely delayed any ground-based emergency medical response. Alexander Kuzmenko suffered severe facial and head injuries after being bitten by the bear, and he died after being evacuated to an intensive care unit at a hospital in Kyzyl, the capital of Tuva, according to 930 WFMD.
Bear attacks in Russia have killed at least 15 people, according to REN TV. Experts have linked the surge to a poor harvest of taiga berries and pine nuts this year, which forced hungry bears toward rivers and human areas ahead of hibernation, per the same reporting from The Big Lead. Prior to the trip, regional authorities in Tuva had enacted a heightened-alert regime across 11 municipalities and prohibited public forest visits through November 30, 2026, due to escalating bear sightings, according to Caspian Post. The fishing group had entered the forested region despite those active administrative bans.
Penguins Rally Around Their Newest Forward
Penguins president of hockey operations and general manager Kyle Dubas said the organization was deeply saddened to learn of Alexander Kuzmenko's passing, and he asked that Andrei Kuzmenko and the Kuzmenko family's privacy be respected. NHL.com reports that Andrei Kuzmenko practiced with the Penguins Thursday, took a leave of absence and was returning to Moscow that afternoon: NHL.com.
The 30-year-old forward is about to begin his first season with the Penguins after signing a one-year, $5 million contract on the opening day of free agency in July, according to CapWages. During the preseason, he has skated on the Penguins' third line alongside Ben Kindel and Bryan Rust.
Kuzmenko brings four NHL seasons of experience to Pittsburgh. Across stops with the Vancouver Canucks, Calgary Flames, Philadelphia Flyers and Los Angeles Kings, he has recorded 182 points on 85 goals and 97 assists in 271 regular-season games, per NHL.com. His most recent campaign with the Kings ended early, with 25 points in 52 games before a torn meniscus required surgery in February. The Penguins now face the task of navigating the start of their season without one of their newest additions as he grieves.
