Russian politician who didn’t stand up for the national anthem because his legs were tired after training is drafted to fight in Ukraine
- Alexander Lependin said he did not stand up for the anthem because he was tired
- He was subsequently ordered to enlist at the local military registration office.
A Russian politician who refused to stand for the national anthem because his legs were tired after working out at the gym has reportedly been drafted to fight in Ukraine.
Alexander Lependin, a deputy of the Maloyaroslavets District Assembly from Russia’s Kaluga region, southwest of Moscow, was handed his summons and told he would leave to fight on the front lines.
The legislator remained seated for the ‘State Anthem of the Russian Federation’ during a session of the district assembly last month.
He told the local press that his legs were too tired as he had previously been undergoing an intense training session at the gym.
Officials were outraged that he did not stand up, and he was subsequently ordered to enlist at the local military registration office.
Alexander Lependin refused to stand up for the Russian national anthem because his legs were tired after working out in the gym.
Lependin may now be ready to join hundreds of thousands of Russians who have been called to the front since Vladimir Putin’s partial mobilization in September last year.
But he claims that he is unfit for service. Under Russia’s conscription program, those with military experience and relevant skills are called up first.
The lawmaker was reportedly outraged by the call. After declaring himself unfit, he expects a decision to be made in the coming weeks on whether or not to be sent to Ukraine.
Despite the summons and officials demanding that he enlist, Lependin said his colleagues had no problem with him sitting still at the time.
“Not a single person from the audience was outraged, he did not pick me up, he did not ask if everything was in order,” he told the RCB publication.
However, Lependin’s antics can also be brought before a Russian parliamentary ethics committee.
Vyacheslav Parfyonov, head of the Maloyaroslavets district administration, said the commission would review what happened and make a decision.
Lependin may now be ready to join hundreds of thousands of Russians who have been called to the front since Vladimir Putin’s partial mobilization in September last year.
After declaring himself unfit, Lependin expects a decision to be made in the coming weeks on whether or not to send him to join Russian soldiers in Ukraine.
Lependin has also angered other politicians across Russia after failing to stand up.
The head of Russian-annexed Crimea, Sergey Aksyonov, said those who did not stand up for the anthem should be stripped of Russian citizenship entirely.
He told the Russian state news platform RIA Novosti: “I consider it necessary to raise the issue of deprivation of citizenship if a case of not coping with the Russian anthem is documented.”
‘Why do you need citizenship if you don’t stand up, you don’t respect the symbols of the state, the flag, the anthem?’
