Russian television personality Ilana Yuryeva and her Yorkshire terrier have been attacked by a shepherd dog during a run through her village, leaving the pet fighting for its life in emergency surgery.
The actress, who performs under her stage name Yuryeva but whose real surname is Dyldina, shared details of the incident on social media. She said the aggressive animal charged out from behind a neighboring gate and launched an attack on them as they ran past.
Dyldina explained that her terrier took the brunt of the attack to protect her. Speaking in tears from a veterinary clinic, she reported that her pet was immediately placed on the surgeon's table after experiencing severe blood loss.
According to the actress, the dog suffered a broken jaw and extensive damage to its scalp. Dyldina also published a photograph of a medical document from the clinic, showing that veterinary doctors had formally warned her about the animal's severe condition.
Yorkshire terriers are a toy dog breed known for their small frame and light weight, making them particularly vulnerable in conflicts with larger animals. Shepherd dogs, by contrast, are large working breeds bred for herding and guard duties.
Background on Uralskiye Pelmeni and social media ban
Yuryeva is best known as a long-standing cast member of Uralskiye Pelmeni, a prominent Russian sketch comedy troupe and television show. The group originally formed as a competing team in KVN, a historic Russian comedy league, before developing into a major television franchise on the STS network.
The performer posted her video account on Instagram, a social network owned by American technology firm Meta Platforms. Russian authorities have officially designated Meta as an extremist organization and banned its platforms within the Russian Federation.
Earlier incidents involving television personalities
The event follows a previously reported incident in which another television star suffered injuries from a dog attack. Sean Lowe, the star of the popular American reality television show The Bachelor, was admitted to the hospital to receive stitches after being attacked by his dog.
Lowe rose to prominence after competing on the reality dating show before leading his own season on the ABC network in the United States.
