The successor to Russia's historical Communist Party, which still has several officials in the State Duma, expelled two lawmakers Friday who dissented on President Vladimir Putin's decision to invade Ukraine, Newsweek reported.

The controversy arose after Leonid Vasyukevich made controversial comments against the invasion during a Primorsky region legislative assembly meeting.

"We understand that if our country does not stop the military operation, there will be even more orphans in our country," Vasyukevich said.

"During the military operation, young people who could bring great benefit to our country die and become disabled," he continued. "We demand the immediate withdrawal of the troops of the Russian Federation."

Regional Gov. Oleg Kozhemyako responded by branding Vasyukevich as a traitor to Russia, with lawmakers allied to him – Gennady Shulga, Natalya Kochugova, and Aleksandr Sustov also receiving scrutiny.

Vasyukevich and Shulga were reportedly then escorted from the meeting and denied the right to vote at the session. Later, local party head Anatoly Dolgachev told Kommersant the two were expelled for "discrediting the party."

"They have no place in our ranks … they are now non-handshake, political corpses for us," Dolgachev said of Vasyukevich and Shulga, adding the party officially "supports the actions of the armed forces to de-Nazify Ukraine."

Shortly after, Sustov reportedly told RadioFreeEurope/RadioLiberty that he had his "personal thoughts about the special military operation" but did not sign onto Vasyukevich's statement.

The other two allegedly anti-war lawmakers, Kochugova and Sustov, were not punished and denied ever siding with Vasyukevich and Shulga.

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