Samara Duma deputy charged with ‘discrediting’ the army after watching Putin speech with noodles on his ears

Mikhail Abdalkin, a deputy of the Samara Regional Duma from the Communist Party of the Russian Federation, has been charged with “discrediting the army.” The case will be heard in a local municipal court on March 7.

On February 22, Abdalkin posted a video clip to social media — in it, he listened to Vladimir Putin’s address to the Russian Federal Assembly with noodles draped over his ears. “I’m fully in support, I fully agree, excellent presentation. I haven’t heard anything like it in the past 23 years. I’m pleasantly surprised,” the deputy wrote to accompany the video.

The Samara Duma announced that Mikhail Abdalkin should be “publicly censured” for his actions, and suggested that the Communist Party expel him.

Abdalkin said of the charges, “We’ll fight to prove my non-involvement and innocence.”