A methane explosion ripped through the pit in Kemerovo region - but 101 safely escaped to the surface.
Andrey Medvedev, 20, and Alexander Grunenko, 15, met the fearsome beast when they were collecting wild garlic in Kemerovo region.
The municipal heating system burns narcotics including heroin seized from traffickers.
With Russia on Covid-19 lockdown, 77 houses were burned down in Novosibirsk and Kemerovo regions.
The coal miners are in hospital after the explosion at Gramoteinskaya pit near town of Belovo in Kemerovo region.
First ever discovery of a 'live bigfoot' is made in southern Siberia.