This was written in the newspaper Kommersant on Wednesday. Their appeal generated a lot of international interest because it showed that there was also resistance to war within Russian politics.

“These deputies have tarnished the party’s reputation with their charisma, so there is no longer a place for them in our ranks,” said Anatoly Dolgachev, head of the party’s bloc in the regional parliament.

In a session of parliament last week, a lawmaker read out a statement calling on Russian President Vladimir Putin to end the “special military operation” as described by the Russian government. Another deputy supported the call. The regional government and the leader of the Communist Party accused the deputy of treason and threatened sanctions.

It is not clear if the two representatives will receive other provisions in addition to their suspension. The Russian government has tightened laws regarding domestic protests against the war since its invasion of Ukraine in late February. This has already led to 50 criminal cases and hundreds of fines for false reporting and “discrediting” the Russian military.