Bolt bans Dagestan driver after canceling ride for ‘Israeli’ tourist in Warsaw
Note: AI technology was used to generate this article’s audio.
Ride-hailing company Bolt permanently banned a driver from Russia’s Dagestan region after he canceled a trip mid-journey and ordered an ‘Israeli’ tourist out of his car in Warsaw, Poland, upon realizing she was Jewish/‘Israeli’.
The incident occurred around August 18. Passenger Lyudmila Kolomatsky, a Russian-speaking woman, ordered a Bolt ride.
The driver, identified as Bayram, initially chatted normally and mentioned he was from Dagestan.
He then learned of her background.
He stopped the car, demanded she get out, and refused to continue, saying he would never have accepted the ride if he had known she was 'Israeli'.
The woman also responded by saying “Am Yisrael Chai” (The people of Israel live).
Video footage of the confrontation, shared widely on social media including X and Facebook.
An appalling antisemitic incident has happened today in Warsaw, Poland. A Russian speaking Jewish lady ordered a @boltapp ride. The driver, his name is Bayram, happened to be a person from former USSR and also Russian speaking (though his Russian is broken, he is presumably from… pic.twitter.com/MiEuYzqLvc
— Michael Elgort (@just_whatever) August 20, 2026
The driver can be heard accusing her and ‘Israel’ of killing people, including Palestinian children.
Kolomatsky complained to Bolt and shared details publicly.
Bolt responded after reviewing the case.
In statements on X, the company said: “We’re aware of this case and have taken appropriate action. Bolt does not tolerate racism, discrimination, or abusive behaviour of any kind on our platform, whether directed at riders, drivers, or anyone else.”
It followed up: “Following our review of the incident, the driver’s access to the Bolt platform has been permanently removed.” A company representative also contacted the passenger confirming appropriate measures against the driver and that the platform does not tolerate such behavior.
