Eight people were injured after the vehicle rammed into a group of pedestrians near Red Square.

One of those hit by the taxi is reportedly in a serious condition.

Shocking CCTV footage of the crash shows the vehicle sharply pulling out of stationary traffic before speeding up and mounting the pavement.

The video shows some pedestrians were knocked down after it ploughed into the crowd, while others were carried along on the bonnet.

The driver, dressed in black trousers and a black t-shirt, attempted to flee but was apprehended by bystanders.

Initial reports suggested the driver may have been drunk, but Russian news agency Interfax has since quoted an unnamed source as saying the driver had fallen asleep at the wheel and then accidentally pressed the accelerator.

Those injured include two Mexicans, two Russians and a Ukrainian citizen.

Citing a medical source, Interfax said none of those hurt are believed to be critically injured.

Moscow Police said the driver likely lost control of the vehicle rather than deliberately steering his car into pedestrians.

The force said a criminal investigation had been launched into a suspected traffic violation.

After the driver was apprehended, Moscow's traffic management authority said he had insisted he did not hit the crowd on purpose.

Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said in a post on Twitter: "There was an unpleasant incident with a. The driver lost control of the vehicle."

Officials said the driver had a licence from the Central Asian nation of Kyrgyzstan, a mainly Muslim ex-Soviet republic.

One witness said the driver was pulled from his taxi by others at the scene.

The witness said the man shouted “it wasn’t me” before being tackled by bystanders.

Another witness, Viktoria Geraimovich, said she called the emergency services on her mobile phone.

Describing the actions of the driver, she said: "He ran into a group of Mexicans. There were shouts, moans. He was only stopped because he hit a traffic sign.

"Someone gave him a punch in the face. He stayed in the car, people came up to him, said what are you doing, punched him in the face, he opened the door and tried to run away."

Mexico gets their World Cup campaign underway tomorrow when they face Germany at Moscow’s Luzhniki stadium. (SUN UK)

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