Support The Moscow Times!

Popular Russian Actor Faces 12 Years in Jail for Fatal DUI Crash

Security footage captured Yefremov’s SUV driving into oncoming traffic and crashing into a van on the Garden Ring road. Ksenia Semyonova / TASS

Mikhail Yefremov, one of Russia’s most well-known actors, faces up to 12 years in jail for a drunken head-on collision in central Moscow that killed the driver of the vehicle he crashed into late Monday.

Security camera footage captured Yefremov’s SUV driving into oncoming traffic and crashing into a van on the Garden Ring road steps away from the Russian Foreign Ministry building. In eyewitness videos after the incident, Yefremov appeared to be drunk with slurred speech and stumbling movements.

The van driver, identified as online delivery driver Sergei Zakharov, was hospitalized in critical condition. News agencies reported Tuesday morning that Zakharov, 57, had died from his injuries.

Yefremov was initially charged with a DUI, which carries up to seven years in jail, and released pending investigation before the van driver died from his injuries. A medical exam has established an unspecified amount of alcohol in Yefremov's blood.

Following the delivery driver's death, police increased the charges against Yefremov to ones that could land him behind bars for up to 12 years.

An unnamed law enforcement source told the state-run RIA Novosti news agency that authorities plan to take Yefremov in for questioning.

Yefremov, 56, has cultivated an image of a jolly drunk in his acting career that spans more than 30 years.

Sign up for our free weekly newsletter

Our weekly newsletter contains a hand-picked selection of news, features, analysis and more from The Moscow Times. You will receive it in your mailbox every Friday. Never miss the latest news from Russia. Preview
Subscribers agree to the Privacy Policy

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.

Once
Monthly
Annual
Continue
paiment methods
Not ready to support today?
Remind me later.

Read more