Russia's Supreme Court has barred Yabloko, the only officially registered party opposing Moscow's war in Ukraine, from running in next month's parliamentary elections, stripping voters of the chance to express their discontent with the conflict at the ballot box. The court upheld a suit brought by the small pro-Kremlin nationalist party Rodina, which accused Yabloko of receiving undeclared campaign support, including from Western sources. This move comes after the Central Election Commission had initially allowed Yabloko on the ballot along with 10 other parties last month.
According to Judge Vyacheslav Kirillov, the claims seeking to annul the registration of Yabloko's federal list of candidates were granted, effectively blocking the party's participation in the elections. Yabloko leader Nikolai Rybakov argued that there was no evidence to support the allegations and described the case as an unconstitutional attack on freedom of thought by political opponents seeking to clear the field of rivals. Rybakov's comments were echoed by about 100 supporters, mostly young people, who gathered outside the courthouse, chanting "Shame! Shame!" after the ruling was delivered.
With most of President Vladimir Putin's opponents jailed, exiled, or dead, Yabloko is the only liberal party still operating in Russia. The party has received the backing of several exiled opposition figures, including Yulia Navalnaya, the widow of the late opposition leader Alexey Navalny. Despite having only three percent support, according to a poll conducted earlier this year, Yabloko's exclusion from the elections is seen as a significant blow to those opposing the war in Ukraine. The Kremlin's tightening control over elections has made it increasingly difficult for opposition parties to participate, with the ruling United Russia party backing Putin having won every parliamentary vote since 2003.
Efforts to end the Ukraine war through diplomacy have so far failed, with Putin pushing hardline territorial demands to end the fighting and ruling out talks with Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. However, independent polls show that most Russians favour peace negotiations with Kyiv. Yabloko's leader, Nikolai Rybakov, has vowed to appeal the decision, stating that the party's focus remains on stopping deaths and bringing peace back to the region. "We have a long way ahead, and we have a big and important task: to stop deaths and bring the peace back," he said. "Everything we do should be dedicated to that."
