Russian actor Smolev jailed for drunk policeman comic video Published duration 1 August 2019

image copyright Getty Images image caption The Moscow theatre says Smolev did not realise he was breaking the law

An actor at a leading Moscow theatre has been sentenced to eight days in jail for acting as a drunken traffic policeman in an amateur comedy video.

Dmitry Smolev was found guilty of bringing Russian police into disrepute and illegally wearing a police uniform.

He has been performing a major role in the current production of Dyuma at the Sovremennik Theatre.

In the 12-second clip Smolev wobbles and smokes a cigarette. A blogger posted it on the social network TikTok.

In a Russian TV interview, Smolev said the blogger had asked him to perform in the clip as a favour, and had given him the police uniform for the part. Smolev said he did not know where the clip was to appear.

Sovremennik Theatre has issued a statement , saying it "understands that ignorance of the law (which is indeed the case concerning Dmitry Smolev) does not relieve someone of responsibility".

It went on to say: "The artist and his partner in making this clip - and the partner posted the clip on social media - first of all did not know the law, and second, did not bother to add captions to their work, which would have made it clear that this was a piece of acting."

The clip, the theatre said, was "even talented", and "it is a real pity that it was not Dmitry Smolev's theatrical work... that prompted the media excitement, but rather this incident".