This is the terrifying moment a man dressed as a Russian Santa slipped from a 24-storey building and fell to his death in Chelyabinsk, western Russia.
Amazing footage shows the professional climber attempting to leap across the building with ropes to greet the children below – before the stunt went horribly wrong.
The man dressed as “Grandfather Frost” is illuminated by a spotlight as he loses his footing and falls about 70 meters.
The red-clad Santa was an experienced climber, but he apparently confused his safety ropes, leading to the horrific fall.
He landed one story above the ground on a snow-covered structure so the children couldn’t see his body.
Grandpa Frost is seen in his red fur coat trying to abseil from the building
Footage shows Santa standing on top of the building preparing to descend in a daring stunt
Onlookers initially thought the fall was part of the act and did not immediately understand the tragedy they were witnessing.
The man’s wife and small child were apparently among the onlookers.
A disbelieving voice can be heard in the crowd asking, “He didn’t fall…?”
A man says: “Now he’s coming out.” [to see the children]…he couldn’t fall!’
One eyewitness said: “My son did not understand anything.” Others understood and left in hysterics. “Of course all parents are in shock.”
Another said: “Everyone had fun and no one thought something like this would happen.”
“I thought until the last minute it was some kind of dummy, that it was a joke.”
“The celebrations continued. “There was no initial suspicion that it was a tragedy?”
The property management company that organized the event apologized for the incident and said the climber was an “experienced professional.”
“Today’s holiday turned into a monstrous accident,” they said.
“An industrial climber dressed as Grandpa Frost.” [Santa Claus] fell when he descended from his house and died.”
It was a “terrible and completely unforeseeable incident”.
The company said: “We will do everything we can to help the police understand the reasons and prevent something like this from happening again.”
One resident said: “My husband and son were there.”
“There were many witnesses there, including children.”
“At the moment no one knows why he fell.”
“Climbers clean the windows in our apartment building – and there has never been an emergency.”
A local source says: “The man was doing tricks with climbing equipment while his wife and child were in the courtyard of the tower block.”
“They witnessed his death.”
Russian government investigators were on site.
They are apparently investigating the circumstances of the tragedy and a possible violation of safety regulations.
The age of the deceased was variously given as 25 and 35 years.
The man suddenly lost his footing, fell about 70 meters and landed on a structure above the first floor
The man landed on a platform, preventing the children below from seeing the body
Grandfather Frost – or Ded Moroz – is a legendary figure like Santa Claus, recognized in East Slavic countries, including Russia.
He wears a long red or blue fur coat, wields a wand, and often rides a three-horse “troika” chariot.
Unlike Santa Claus in the West, Grandfather Frost is assisted by his granddaughter Snegurochka, which means Snow White.
The figure was banned during the Soviet era and considered a tool of the bourgeoisie, but made a comeback in 1935 when Josef Stalin wanted to increase his own popularity.
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Elizabeth Cabrera is an author and journalist who writes for The Fashion Vibes. With a talent for staying up-to-date on the latest news and trends, Elizabeth is dedicated to delivering informative and engaging articles that keep readers informed on the latest developments.
