The personal driver of Emergency Situations Minister Sergei Shoigu was fined and reprimanded for threatening to shoot in the head a motorist who refused to give way, news web site Infox.ru reported Sunday.
A video posted on YouTube on Saturday showed Shoigu's Mercedes sedan, identified by its license plates, trying to pass other cars in a traffic jam on the Moscow Ring Road but making slow progress despite its siren and flashing blue lights, which give officials' cars priority on the road.
At one point when a driver refuses to give way, the Mercedes' driver is heard barking through a loudspeaker: "You moron, do you need a shot to the head, you dope?"
Ministry spokeswoman Irina Andrianova told Infox.ru that Shoigu was not present in the car at the time of the incident. She added that the driver, whose name was withheld, was issued an official reprimand over the incident and deprived of an unspecified monthly bonus.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.