A lawmaker in Russia’s western Samara region is facing charges after he shared a video of himself listening to one of Russian President Vladimir Putin‘s speeches with noodles draped over his ears.
Mikhail Abdalkin, a deputy in Samara’s parliament, or duma, has been accused of “discrediting the army” of Russia, Reuters reported.
An investigation into Abdalkin, a member of Russia’s Communist Party, was launched after he uploaded a video of himself watching Putin’s most recent state of the nation address via the social media platform VK, the Russian equivalent of Facebook, on Feb. 22.
Putin announced during his two-hour address from the previous day the suspension of Russia’s participation in the New START nuclear arms control treaty with the United States, among other things.
“I’m in full support, totally agree, great performance. I haven’t heard anything like it in the last 23 years. Pleasantly surprised,” Abdalkin said in the video while there were noodles hanging on his ears.
The video reportedly referred to the Russian saying that a person has been strung along or deceived when noodles have been hung on their ears.
A total of 37 members of Samara’s regional parliament voted in favor Tuesday of a draft resolution that would impose sanctions against Abdalkin and pushed for his expulsion from Russia’s Communist Party, Russian newspaper Kommersant reported.
Even Abdalkin’s own party pledged to punish the lawmaker for seemingly mocking Putin.
Alexander Yushchenko, a spokesman for the Russian Communist Party, confirmed Thursday that the group would conduct its own investigation over the incident, according to a report by The Independent.
Abdalkin is set to appear in Novokuybyshevsk City Court this Tuesday for his case, the politician announced in a statement posted on his VK page.
“We’ll fight to prove my non-involvement and innocence,” he said, according to a translation provided by independent media outlet Meduza.
Under Article 20.3.3 of Russia’s Code of Administrative Offences which was signed into law by Putin in March last year, individuals can be penalized with administrative fines for “discrediting” Russia’s military.
In a similar story, police in Russia’s Tula region arrested a local man whose daughter drew an anti-war picture during class last year.
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