Early in the morning, in central Moscow, a Mercedes-Benz driver ran a red light in a bid to avoid a collision with a taxi. The attempt to maneuver around the taxi failed, the car lost control, and it crashed into the wall of a residential building on Zubovsky Boulevard. The impact was severe enough to ignite the vehicle, with flames quickly consuming the car. According to the capital’s public prosecutor’s office Telegram channel, two people were killed and six others were hospitalized as a result of the crash. Photographs from the scene show the charred remains of the vehicle and the extent of the damage to the surrounding structure.
The accident also claimed the life of the driver and the girl who occupied the front passenger seat. Earlier reports suggested that the car may have been traveling without state registration plates, but official confirmation of this detail had not been issued at the time of reporting.
Expert opinion
Maxim Kadakov, editor-in-chief of the magazine Behind the Wheel, offered his perspective on the incident. He noted two striking aspects. First, the fact that a young driver or occupants, aged between 18 and 23, were observed operating a vehicle in the capital without visible license plates raised questions about awareness and risk. Second, Kadakov highlighted the swift arrival of a police presence following the crash, underscoring how a vehicle moving without plates at high speed can result in a collision with a fixed obstacle like a building.
Kadakov also commented on the broader landscape of traffic safety. He suggested that this incident should prompt consideration of stronger enforcement measures regarding vehicle registration and plate visibility, as well as more robust penalties for violations that endanger others, such as driving without plates or engaging in reckless maneuvers. He acknowledged the difficulty of fully reconstructing all the circumstances but stressed that the combination of unregistered vehicles and rapid, uncontrolled movement in a dense urban environment creates conditions ripe for catastrophic outcomes. Kadakov’s remarks pointed toward a possible evolution in policy approaches, including more stringent controls on plate retention and actions that deter risky driving.
Authorities responsible for the investigation—the prosecutor’s office of the Central Administrative District of Moscow—are coordinating the gathering of all pertinent facts. At the time of reporting, the full spectrum of factors surrounding the incident was still being mapped, with investigators examining vehicle dynamics, potential speed factors, the involvement of other road users, and the sequence of events in the minutes leading up to the crash. The ongoing inquiry aims to establish a clear chronology and determine accountability for the tragedy, with findings anticipated to inform future road-safety measures and enforcement strategies.