Russia’s only liberal, anti‑war party will not be able to take part in next month’s parliamentary elections, a Moscow court has ruled.
The ruling eliminates Yabloko, the only registered party openly opposing Russia’s war in Ukraine, from the ballot. The case was brought by Rodina, a pro‑Kremlin nationalist group, which accused Yabloko of publishing extremist LGBT content and copyright infringement.
During the eight‑hour hearing, hundreds of young protestors gathered outside the Moscow courthouse, chanting “Shame!” and waving apples—a symbol of Yabloko’s name (the Russian word for “apple”). Social‑media videos captured the crowd’s reaction as the verdict was announced.
Yabloko’s candidate list had been approved by the Central Electoral Commission in late July, but several party members were already barred from running—including deputy leader Maxim Kruglov, jailed for social‑media posts about Ukrainian civilian casualties.
The ban comes amid growing wave of dissent, with the Kremlin now aiming to minimize voter turnout among opposition‑leaning citizens.
All 10 other parties in the election either support the war or remain silent on the conflict, leaving the electorate without a clear anti‑war choice.
Independent election observers have already been restricted from monitoring the process, further undermining transparency.
The decision marks a critical blow to peaceful opposition and raises concerns about the future of civil liberties in Russia.
