“Deputies have no armor”: Volodin called on the State Duma to go to war in Ukraine

The deputies of the State Duma do not have “armor” from mobilization, which was announced by Russian President Vladimir Putin. They should go to Ukraine to help Russia with their participation in a “special military operation,” said Vyacheslav Volodin, speaker of the lower house of parliament.

“Those who meet the requirements of partial mobilization should help by participating in a special military operation. The deputies have no armor,” he wrote in his Telegram channel.

According to Volodin, deputies Adam Delimkhanov, who heads volunteers from the Chechen Republic, Dmitry Sablin, Viktor Vodolatsky, Akhmed Dogaev and others have been in Donbass since the beginning of the war.

“Now is the time for challenges. But together we will definitely overcome them. The security of our citizens and the sovereignty of the country will be ensured,” Volodin concluded. The day before, he proposed to “study” the issue of voluntary mobilization of deputies and employees of the apparatus of the lower house.

“Let’s gather those who have experience, who work with us and would like to take part [в спецоперации]”, Volodin said. However, the deputies refused to go to the front. A common point of view was expressed by the representative of the “United Russia” Dmitry Vyatkin. “Sometimes it seems that writing a statement and going to the front is the easiest decision. But behind each of us are citizens,” he said.

According to him, the deputies “should convey the importance and criticality of the current situation to everyone,” so they can’t go to war. The day before, it was Vyatkin who introduced amendments to the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation to the State Duma, which provide for punishment for desertion, looting and surrender.

On September 21, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced the mobilization in Russia, and Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu announced the call for 300,000 “reservists” to the front. Colleagues of politician Alexei Navalny then called the sons of high-ranking officials. The son of Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin, Alexei, said that he “did not have” a desire to fight, and the son of the press secretary of the President of the Russian Federation, Dmitry Peskov, said that he was “Mr. Peskov” and would resolve the issue “on a different level.”