Five meteorologists are finally free from being under siege after polar bears swam to the island they had set their weather station up on, and swarmed outside their building.

Over the course of the two weeks, the polar bears ate the meteorologist's guard dog, and they then ran out of the flares that they had been using to keep the bears at bay.

Russian news agency TASS contacted the scientists via satellite phone at their station 2,800 from Moscow, and were informed that some of the bears have taken to sleeping right outside the windows of the remote outpost.

Station supervisor Vasily Shevchenko told NBC News by telephone: "The bears live in the Arctic, you know — we can't ban them from hanging around. [...] Worst case, the station chief has a gun."

Officials were concerned that it might take up to 6 weeks for the meteorologists to be saved from their predicament, but a nearby research vessel took a detour towards the island.

From there they used a helicopter to frighten away the bears, before resupplying the weather station with more flares and puppies, who would then be trained to deter away future bears.

Polar bears are considered an endangered species and it is illegal to shoot one in Russia, unless it is in self-defense.