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Woman mauled 'like a ragdoll' after posing for photo with lion

An allegedly drunk woman has been brutally mauled by a lion just moments after entering its enclosure to pose for a photograph.

Olga Solomina entered the Taigan safari park in Crimea, Ukraine, which offers a “walk with the lions” tour.

The 46-year-old managed to get the snapshot she paid for but just moments after the image was taken, the seemingly docile lion clamped down on her arm and began pulling her away.

The park’s director, Oleg Zubkov, immediately intervened, prompting the cat to release her arm.

“The lion grabbed my right hand and dragged me along the ground. I just had time to close my eyes. I thought that now they would tear me apart,” Ms Solomina told TV channel Crimea 24.

Olga Solomina was mauled moments after posing for a photo with the seemingly docile lion. Source: Komsomolskaya Pravda
Olga Solomina was mauled moments after posing for a photo with the seemingly docile lion. Source: Komsomolskaya Pravda

“It dragged me like a doll. It was, of course, seconds, but to me they seemed like an eternity. At this time I said goodbye to life.”

Remarkably, she escaped with only minor injuries to her arm.

Mr Zubkov said the uncharacteristic attack took place because Ms Solomina was “slightly drunk” and began pulling the lion by the mane.

“Obviously, the young lion did not like the smell of alcohol that came from Olga,” he told local media.

The safari park are now refusing to pay the $21,000 (1,000,000 RUB) compensation request, saying Ms Solomina signed a document accepting the dangers of the excursion.