Blogger in Yekaterinburg Stripped of License for Illegal Plate Frames

Well-known Yekaterinburg blogger Sveta Ananas has lost her driver«s license after traffic police stopped her black Mercedes G-Class on the night of November 9.

Sveta Ananas was driving her Mercedes G-Class on 8 March Street in central Yekaterinburg when she was pulled over. Police noticed that the license plates were secured with magnets instead of screws, allowing them to be easily removed and replaced. An administrative protocol was issued, accusing her of violating Article 12.2 of the Administrative Code for driving with improperly installed registration plates.

In simpler terms, she was caught equipping her vehicle with devices that facilitate hiding the license plates.

Part 2.1 of Article 12.2 establishes liability for driving with plates equipped with devices that hinder identification or allow alteration or concealment, punishable by license revocation for one to one and a half years and confiscation of the devices.

Props for Photo Shoots?

In court, Sveta Ananas stated she had no intent to conceal the plates. She explained that she used magnetic frames because she works in advertising and the rugged vehicle is often used for photo shoots.

Her lawyer urged against punishment, assuring that she never drives without plates and they were in place during the stop. He argued that magnets are not devices that distort plates, as claimed in the traffic police report, but merely attachment material.

The lawyer also requested a technical examination of the frames, which was denied, and proposed reclassifying the offense to a milder clause involving a fine of 5,000 rubles (about $50 at current rates) for non-standard plates.

However, the judge revoked Sveta«s driver»s license for one year and one month.

The ruling stated that the quick-release magnetic frames did not meet national standard (GOST) requirements for vehicle operation, meaning she had no right to drive on public roads with them.

The judge also cited a 2019 Supreme Court Plenum decision that classifies devices like blinds, electromagnets, and paper sheets as hindering plate identification.

«It»s a Tragedy«

Sveta has filed an appeal, hoping to overturn the harsh penalty. She sees a contradiction in the court«s findings: the magnets were not electrical as mentioned in the Plenum, and there was no mechanism to conceal the plates. She believes she should have only faced a fine for non-standard plates.

She admitted that losing her license will severely complicate her family«s life and negatively impact her business, calling it a personal tragedy.

«I live in Gorny Shchit, my children go to school in Solnechny, and the clinic is in Vtorchermet. How can I manage without a car?» complained Svetlana. «I think the traffic police should warn, not just punish. I»m very upset this happened. If I had known it was illegal, I wouldn«t have used these frames. They»re just magnetic plates sold on marketplaces for 1,000 rubles (about $10 at current rates), and anyone could get caught,« Sveta Ananas concluded.

The publication has previously covered tricks drivers use to avoid photo enforcement, often involving concealing plates with objects, as seen in paid parking areas.

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