This is the moment a drunk Russian detainee sneaks out of the back of a police van in traffic and tells laughing motorists to keep shtum before two bungling cops fetch him and shove him roughly back inside the vehicle.

The suspect does not appear to have much success as just seconds after letting himself out of the van, two cops hop out and chase after him while onlookers struggle to contain their laughter.

The comic escape attempt was recorded by the dash-cam of a car in broad daylight in the city of Saransk in the Russian republic of Mordovia on 31st May.

The news site Life said the suspect seen in the clip is a 44-year-old Russian man identified only as Sergei T.

Sergei was on his way to the police station in the back of the van when he saw an opportunity to escape.

In the video, he is seen carefully opening the back door and coolly climbing out while telling onlookers to keep silent.

As the people in the car recording the footage begin laughing, Sergei, apparently drunk, drifts out of shot and two cops clumsily climb out of the van and start to chase after him.

The sight of the two bungling cops chasing after the suspect only makes the witnesses laugh even harder as the situation becomes increasingly surreal.

The cops quickly caught up with Sergei and are seen shoving him roughly back inside the van.

Sergei, who lives with his mother, was allegedly arrested for an undisclosed crime committed while drunk.

He is reportedly a regular guest at the local police station due to his drunken antics.

The comic clip of Sergei’s failed escape quickly spread across social media with some netizens describing it as the social media video of the year.

Reports said that Sergei is currently being held at a local police station and it is currently unclear what charges he may face.