The lawyer announced that he has undergone training as an artilleryman. He referred to his decision to go to war as a "true day of revolution" in his life. He stated that he intends to avenge his friend who died in the war.
"I am convinced that every Russian person must do everything possible for the swift defeat of our enemy. Recently, I have felt that I am not doing enough. Now is the time to rectify that," the lawyer declared on his Telegram channel.
Previously, Kalugin had collaborated with human rights projects and represented the interests of various individuals, including opposition members, participants in protest rallies, and anti-war activists. After one such event in March 2022, the lawyer was handcuffed in a police station where he had gone to represent the interests of one of the detainees. Among his clients were members of the "Other Russia" party led by E.V. Limonov, who claimed to oppose the Russian authorities but supported the war.
In September of the same year, Kalugin stated that he now supports the invasion of Ukraine and will not provide legal assistance to those opposing mobilization.