A Korean Genesis sedan with a blue flashing light on its roof was involved in an incident in central Moscow on the afternoon of Wednesday, June 8. It overtook a cyclist courier delivering meals and struck the rider as the cyclist crossed a pedestrian crosswalk on Sretenka Street.
Paramedics arrived at once and provided first aid at the scene. The cyclist was then transported to a hospital for treatment.
According to eyewitnesses cited by a Telegram channel, the foreign-registered car with the roof flasher moved quickly to bend the license plates and remove the flasher, claiming there had been an incident. The driver has stated that the cyclist allegedly collided with the car first.
There were later reports that Sergei Mironov, the head of the political party Fair Russia — For Truth, was aboard the same car.
“I requested an ambulance”
Mironov publicly described the situation, noting that he did board the car involved in the incident. He wrote that an accident occurred that day and that responsibility could fall on either the driver or the cyclist once the traffic police and ambulance were notified. He stated that he did not personally observe the impact, as he was sorting documents in the car. He recalled that the driver exited the vehicle, saw the cyclist alive but with a leg injury, and requested medical help and police assistance. He expressed hope for the cyclist’s quick recovery and said he would monitor and assist in the recovery process.
Subsequently, the Telegram channel SHOT reported that, in addition to Mironov, another passenger was in the cabin of the vehicle with the flashing light. Witnesses described Mironov remaining in the car for about an hour after the collision and not leaving the passenger compartment. Street cameras did not capture the politician at the scene, while a reported dark Genesis made it difficult to identify who sat in the front passenger seat. A woman was said to be seated behind the driver. The Genesis, accompanied by several other cars, left the area about an hour after the incident.
“The cyclist violated traffic rules”
A spokesperson for the Presidential Administration commented to the agency DEA News that the injured courier had himself violated traffic rules. An official involved in traffic safety stated that the cyclist was on the bicycle and did not dismount as required. While this fact could be relevant, the expert cited by the public movement Freedom of Choice suggested that it remains possible the driver should have anticipated the risk at that crossing and reacted more promptly. The expert noted that a cyclist travels faster than a pedestrian, which can reduce reaction time for drivers and complicate the driver’s ability to avoid a collision.
Regardless, the event occurred at a pedestrian crossing, where drivers are expected to exercise heightened caution. The analysis suggested that shared responsibility could be possible if the driver did not yield to a pedestrian or cyclist at the crosswalk. The expert emphasized that the assessment would focus on which specific action violated the rules and led to the collision, whether it was the courier failing to dismount or the driver failing to yield. He also pointed out that in judicial practice, a driver who hits a cyclist or pedestrian at a crosswalk is typically found at fault, though there could be exceptions if another violation played a decisive role.
The discussion also noted that skewed timing or incomplete data should not determine guilt; the key question remains which violation directly caused the collision. The expert concluded that the presence of unclear numbers does not by itself determine responsibility, and the court would look at the concrete violations that occurred at the moment of impact.
Note: The information above reflects initial reports and comments from various sources. Ongoing investigations and official statements will provide further clarity on this incident. [Source: SHOT Telegram channel; DEA News; socialbites.ca; official traffic safety reports]