A Lada Vesta from the State Duma fleet was reported to have been involved in an accident, according to Caution Media citing a source connected to the lower house of parliament.
One account described the incident with a metaphor, saying the car behaved like an accordion and that the safety of domestic vehicles could not be guaranteed. The report claimed that the driver was shot from behind, the vehicle struck a gazelle, and the rear of the car bore the brunt of the impact while the front was pinned under the animal. It described the headlights as having flown off, the front fenders as swollen, the right rear lamp as damaged, and the entire front face as shattered. The wording emphasized concerns about the safety of local cars.
Details about passengers in the Lada Vesta at the time of the crash and the exact location of the incident were not disclosed.
Speaker Volodin indicated that in July 2023 lawmakers should decide to restrict official vehicles to domestic brands such as Moskvich, Lada, and Aurus. He argued that Russia would struggle to build a robust auto industry if officials continued to use cars from unfriendly countries. Federation Council President Valentina Matvienko supported the preference for domestic vehicles by authorities.
Maxim Sokolov, president of AvtoVAZ, stated that more than 100 Lada Vesta cars were supplied to the State Duma fleet, underscoring the prominence of local brands in official use.
Former auto expert Jan Heizeer remarked that officials appeared to view the domestic car as part of a broader assessment of national automotive capability. He suggested that the use of locally produced vehicles was being tested as a gauge of reliability and national industry strength.