It comes to self-maiming in Tula gubernatorial race

Unbelievable passions are flaring up around a gubernatorial election in the Tula Region, central Russia. One of the runners, apparently striving to prove the seriousness of his intentions, has publicly cut off his finger. It was Aleksandr Luganski, former priest, who dared to do so. Earlier, Mr. Luganski had made a pilgrimage to Yasnaya Polyana, Leo Tolstoy’s memorial, treking bare footed despite 10 degrees below zero Celsius. This had been done to show he was running for governor on behalf of “all bare-footed and naked.” The incident with the cut-off finger occurred at a news-conference. In the heat of it, Mr. Luganski whipped out a knife and shouted out: “Let my blood, shed here, join that of our soldiers shed in Chechnya.”