In Volgograd, a court dismissed the claim brought by Colonel Alexei Klimov, who previously served as acting head of the city police and was dismissed in July amid a controversy over traffic police vehicles being used as elite taxis. The case and its developments were reported by Kommersant. The incident involved a passenger in the patrol car identified as the singer Anet Sy, whose presence in a police vehicle raised questions about protocol and vehicle use.
Earlier, a video circulated on social networks showing Anet Sai explaining that she sought a patrol car to return to Volgograd airport after a performance. The singer boarded a police car, reportedly wearing a traffic police cap, and traveled to her destination without incident. She later managed to board her flight, and the episode sparked public discussion about the permissible use of law enforcement resources for personal transport.
Following an investigation into the events, both Alexander Stepanov, who led the Regional State Traffic Safety Inspectorate at the time, and Alexey Klimov, the deputy head of the Volgograd city Ministry of Internal Affairs, were dismissed from their posts. The authorities cited violations related to the handling and use of police transportation in making their decisions.
Anet Say issued an apology for the video published from inside a State Traffic Inspectorate car in Volgograd, acknowledging the misstep and the potential implications for public trust in law enforcement. The incident prompted ongoing scrutiny of how police vehicles and uniforms are presented in public forums and media coverage, and it added to broader conversations about accountability within regional traffic safety agencies.
In related regional news, there were earlier reports of a dispute involving a wedding party in Vladikavkaz during which a confrontation occurred and resulted in injuries caused by a vehicle. The sequence of events underscored how high-profile incidents involving vehicles can quickly draw public attention and prompt institutional responses across multiple jurisdictions.