The pro-Kremlin nationalist party Rodina accused Yabloko of receiving undeclared campaign support, notably from Western sources \u2013 an allegation Yabloko denied.<\/p>\n
Published On 10 Aug 202610 Aug 2026<\/p>\n
Russia<\/a>\u2018s Supreme Court has barred the only officially registered party opposing Moscow\u2019s war in Ukraine<\/a> from running in next month\u2019s parliamentary elections.<\/p>\n The court upheld a suit on Monday brought by the small pro-Kremlin nationalist party Rodina to annul the registration of Yabloko, stripping voters of the chance to express their discontent with the four-and-a-half-year conflict at the ballot box.<\/p>\n Recommended Stories list of 3 itemsend of list<\/p>\n Last month, the Central Election Commission had initially allowed Yabloko on the ballot along with 10 other parties.<\/p>\n \u201cThe claims seeking to annul the registration of the federal list of candidates for the State Duma of the ninth convocation, nominated by the Yabloko political party, were granted,\u201d Judge Vyacheslav Kirillov said.<\/p>\n Rodina alleged that Yabloko had received undeclared campaign support, including from Western sources, among other accusations.<\/p>\n During a day-long hearing, Yabloko leader Nikolai Rybakov said 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.<\/p>\n About 100 supporters, mostly young people, gathered outside the courthouse as police stood by, chanting \u201cShame! Shame!\u201d after the ruling was delivered. Some carried apples to display their affiliation with Yabloko, which means \u201capple\u201d in Russian.<\/p>\n Addressing them after the hearing, Rybakov said the party would appeal the decision.<\/p>\n \u201cWe have a long way ahead, and we have a big and important task: to stop deaths and bring the peace back,\u201d he said. \u201cEverything we do should be dedicated to that.\u201d<\/p>\n With most of President Vladimir Putin\u2019s opponents jailed, exiled or dead, Yabloko is the only liberal party still operating in Russia.<\/p>\n