A Russian research expedition had serious problems with polar bears in the Svalbard archipelago in the summer of 1990. When a polar bear attempted to break into an occupied cabin, it was killed.
On July 20, 1993, a trio of researchers were able to stop a polar bear attack using revolvers. All three escaped injury at Paulabren, part of the Svalbard archipelago.
On March 5, 2005, two people were attacked by a polar bear in the Svalbard Archipelago. One of them stopped the bear with a .500 Smith & Wesson Magnum.