Russian 0-1 boxer Anastasia Luchkina faces immense backlash this week after a viral video showed the 24-year-old laughing while handing her vape pen to an endangered orangutan named Dana inside of Belogorsk Lion Safari-Park Taigan in Crimea.
In the 12-second clip, which racked up over millions of views in hours, Luchkina can be seen giving the endangered ape, which is the only of its kind in Crimea, several puffs of her e-cigarette.
Check it out:
Russian boxer Anastasia Luchkina lets an endangered orangutan take a hit from her vape pen.
The 24-year-old boxer is under fire after having the orangutan use her e-cigarette in Crimea.
According to local outlets, the orangutan displayed “disturbing” behavior after consuming… pic.twitter.com/oRjhq59XLa
— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) July 2, 2025
Russian outlet Zamin.uz reports that Dana may have swallowed an e-cigarette cartridge containing 2.5–3 ml of nicotine liquid, risking severe intoxication. The outlet notes the ape now exhibits “disturbing behavior,” has lost its appetite, avoids human interaction, and remains motionless most of the day.”
As expected, social media erupted with outrage over the incident.
This is horrific.
— Western Lensman (@WesternLensman) July 2, 2025
I hope she gets arrested
— RoninVale (@RoninVale21) July 3, 2025
PETA condemned Luchkina’s actions in a statement to The Sun.
“Anastasia Luchkina must have received a few too many knocks to the head if she thinks it’s a lark to give an orangutan a vape. It’s a violation of this intelligent, gentle ape’s welfare,” PETA said. “Taigan Safari Park has a shocking track record of negligence, including allowing staff and tourists to enter the lions’ pen, which has already resulted in one fatal attack and injuries to two others, and charging visitors to have their photos taken while handling wild animals.”
Luchkina lost her sole boxing match last month at the King of the Himalayan Ring in India.