Russian politician who did not stand for the national anthem is called up to fight in Ukraine

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, deputy of the Maloyaroslavets district assembly of Russia’s Kaluga region, southwest of Moscow, has received his summons and told him to go to the front lines to fight.

The legislator remained seated for the “State Anthem of the Russian Federation” at a district meeting last month.

He claimed to the local press that his legs were too tired because he had previously done an intense training session at the gym.

Officials were outraged that he was not standing, and he was subsequently ordered to report to the local military registry office.

Lependin may now be ready to join the hundreds of thousands of Russians who have been called up to the front lines since Vladimir Putin’s partial mobilization last September.

But he claims to be unfit for duty. According to Russia’s conscription program, those with military experience and relevant skills are called up first.

The legislator was reportedly outraged by the call. After declaring himself unfit, he expects a decision to be made in the coming weeks whether or not he will be sent to Ukraine.

Despite the call and officials demanding that he turn up, Lependin said his colleagues had no problem with him staying put at the time.

“Not a single person in the audience was outraged, didn’t pull me up, didn’t ask if I was okay,” he told publication RCB.

However, Lependin’s antics could also be brought before a Russian parliamentary ethics committee.

Vyacheslav Parfyonov, the head of the Maloyaroslavets district administration, said the commission would review what happened and make a ruling.

Lependin could now be ready to join the hundreds of thousands of Russians who have been called up to the front lines since Vladimir Putin’s partial mobilization last September

After declaring himself unfit, Lependin expects a decision to be made in the coming weeks as to whether or not he will be sent to join the Russian soldiers in Ukraine.

Lependin has also enraged other politicians across Russia after he failed to get to his feet.

The head of Russia-annexed Crimea, Sergey Aksyonov, said those who did not stand for the national anthem should be completely stripped of Russian citizenship.

He told Russian state news platform RIA Novosti: “I consider it necessary to raise the issue of deprivation of citizenship if a case of failure to stand up for the Russian national anthem is documented.

“Why do you need citizenship if you don’t stand up, don’t respect the symbols of the state, the flag, the national anthem?”