Russian Embassy Licence Plate Driver Was Civilian, Says Jakarta Police

Jakarta — The driver of a Toyota Avanza bearing a Russian Embassy diplomatic licence plate who was ticketed on the Jalan Tol Dalam Kota expressway several weeks ago is a private citizen, according to the Jakarta Metro Police Traffic Director.

Kombes Pol Komarudin, the Traffic Director for the Jakarta Metro Police (Polda Metro Jaya), stated that the driver is currently undergoing legal proceedings. “There is no connection to the embassy. His work is not for the embassy, he is just an ordinary private citizen,” Komarudin said when met at Tegal Selatan near the National Monument (Monas) in Central Jakarta on Thursday (12 March 2026).

Based on the driver’s initial statement, the Russian Embassy diplomatic plates were deliberately used to circumvent Jakarta’s routine traffic regulations. “The purpose was only to evade the odd-even rule using CD (Corps Diplomatique) plates,” Komarudin explained.

The incident occurred when police issued a traffic ticket for a Toyota Avanza bearing Russian Embassy diplomatic plates on the Jalan Tol Dalam Kota expressway on Tuesday (24 February 2026). The vehicle with registration number CD 37 04 travelled through the inner city toll road heading towards West Jakarta, specifically through Tegal Parang in South Jakarta.

According to AKBP Ojo Ruslani, Deputy Head of Law and Discipline at the Jakarta Metro Police Traffic Division, enforcement action was taken against the Avanza Veloz “using embassy registration CD 37 04 which was not in accordance with its intended use.”

The report also identified another vehicle using diplomatic plates numbered CD 37 436. However, subsequent investigations found no registered official vehicle with that licence number.

The ticket was issued under Article 280 of the Road Traffic and Transport Law concerning the use of licence plates not in accordance with their intended purpose.