ST. PETERSBURG, October 8. /TASS/. Investigators in Russia’s second largest city of St. Petersburg have opened a criminal case into the death of a woman, who did not receive the required medical assistance in time due to traffic problems created by an unsanctioned rally on Saturday.

According to the press service of the St. Petersburg department of the Russian Investigative Committee, a team of doctors sent to help the woman failed to arrive in time, as roads were blocked by an unsanctioned rally.

"Ambulance was called to a 55-year-old local resident, who felt unwell. A team of doctors from the Marrinskaya hospital headed to the address," the investigative committee said. "However, the Nevsky Prospekt was congested, so another team of doctors was sent, which upon arrival could only pronounce the woman dead."

A criminal case was opened into suspected criminally negligent manslaughter. An investigation is now under way.

The city’s healthcare committee said that due to heavy traffic, it took the ambulance vehicle 16 minutes to get to its destination instead of two.

According to police reports, about 1,000 people gathered at Marsovo Pole in downtown St. Petersburg at about 18:20 Moscow time on Saturday and marched toward the Liteiny Prospect. A total of 38 people were detained and taken to a police station for obstructing traffic and were released with a warning shortly after.