Russia: Top court bans opposition anti-war party from vote

The Russian Supreme Court ruled on Monday to prevent the opposition Yabloko party, the only anti-war party in the country, from participating in the upcoming parliamentary elections. The nationalist pro-Kremlin Rodina party accused Yabloko of receiving financial support from Western sources without evidence. Yabloko's leader, Nikolay Rybakov, denounced the decision, stating that excluding them from the election is refusing to engage with those who question the authorities.

Yabloko, which has received support from exiled opposition figures, has a low public support rate and has not won a seat in the State Duma since 2003. Despite the ruling, public opinion toward the ongoing war has grown increasingly negative, with Levada Center surveys showing support for the conflict dropping to 66%. The Kremlin has been cracking down on opposition to the war through censorship and mass arrests, leading many activists and journalists to flee the country rather than face persecution.