Anger as Russian elite flout traffic rules

Andrew Osborn in Moscow Published: 4:53PM GMT 01 March 2010

The collision happened when a chauffeur-driven Mercedes carrying Anatoly Barkov, a tip Lukoil executive, collided head-on with a small Citroen carrying dual womanlike obstetricians.

The dual women, Olga Alexandrina, 36, and Vera Sidelnikova, 72, died, whilst Mr Barkov and his motorist transient with teenager injuries.

Cyclists customarily float over zebra crossings, investigate finds

Police were primarily discerning to censure Mrs Alexandrina, who was driving, for the collision in Moscow, observant she appeared to have strayed in to the approaching lane. A Lukoil orator pronounced the association would not compensate remuneration to the passed women"s families. Mrs Alexandrina is survived by a baby daughter and a infirm husband.

That version of events, that was corroborated by Lukoil, has given been called in to question, however, after eye witnesses phoned internal air wave stations to explain that they had seen the Mercedes switching lanes assumingly to equivocate one of Moscow"s scandalous trade jams.

The passed woman"s kin have penned an open letter, job the central version of events "false and unproven," and alleging that the Lukoil car caused the crash. They crop up to have won critical open support.

The accident, that happened last Thursday, has channelled open annoy and comes only days after an additional deadly collision involving the daughter of a absolute central triggered a identical backlash.

A distinguished rapper has already expelled a criticism strain and video about the ultimate incident, whilst contention of the pile-up is one of the majority talked about topics on the Russian-language Internet.

Angry motorists have even affianced to protest motor fuel stations owned by Lukoil, Russia"s largest oil company, in disgust.

Many typical people contend they are ill of the military permitting rich Russians whose cars competition special series plates and sirens to mangle speed boundary and expostulate in lanes indifferent for puncture vehicles.

"The guilty contingency be punished in any case of their resources or amicable status," wrote the passed women"s relatives.

Police have nonetheless to proclaim their last conclusions.