Russian President Vladimir Putin test-drove a new Volga K50 SUV on Friday in Nizhny Novgorod, participating in a showcase for a revived Soviet-era car brand. The event occurred as strikes against Kyiv continued into their third day.
Putin, who previously worked as a taxi driver after the Soviet Union's collapse in 1991, drove the vehicle between production buildings at the Volga plant, accompanied by a company worker. The K50 is the flagship model for Volga, a brand that was once prominent in the Soviet automotive industry.
The new K50 is based on Chinese technology and is produced at a plant formerly operated by Volkswagen. Industry experts describe it as a Russian-branded model utilizing a Chinese-developed platform.
During his visit, Putin toured the plant, observed the assembly lines, and was shown the manufacturing equipment before signing the hood of a Volga K50. He also attended a forum and met with Gleb Nikitin, the governor of Nizhny Novgorod, and visited the newly opened Volga Arena sports complex.
This public display of driving follows a past event in November 2010 when Putin reportedly drove a Renault Formula 1 car at speeds up to 240 kph (150 mph). At that time, he wore a helmet and an F1 jumpsuit and commented, "Not bad for a first time." That event took place a month after Russia had finalized a deal to host a Formula 1 Grand Prix in Sochi, a contract that was later terminated in 2022 following Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
