Russian politician who didn’t stand for national anthem because his legs were tired after training set up for combat 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 in to fight in Ukraine.

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

Lawmakers sat down for the “national anthem of the Russian Federation” at a district meeting last month.

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

Officials were furious that he did not stand, and he was then ordered to report to the local military registration office.

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

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

Lawmakers were reportedly outraged by the call. After declaring himself unfit for work, he is awaiting a decision in the coming weeks on whether or not he will be sent to Ukraine.

Despite the call and officers’ demands that he show up, Lependin said his colleagues have no problem with him staying put at this stage.

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

However, Lependin’s escapades may also be brought before a parliamentary ethics committee in Russia.

Vyacheslav Parfyonov, the head of the Maloyaroslavets district administration, said the commission would look into what happened and make a decision.

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

After declaring himself unfit, Lependin is awaiting a decision in the coming weeks on whether or not he should be sent to join Russian soldiers in Ukraine.

Lependin also angered other politicians across Russia after he was unable to get to his feet.

The head of Russia-annexed Crimea, Sergei Aksyonov, said those who do not stand for the national anthem should have their Russian citizenship revoked completely.

He told Russia’s state news platform RIA Novosti: “I feel it is necessary to raise the issue of deprivation of citizenship when a case of failure to perform the Russian national anthem is documented.

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