Russian court bars from parliamentary ballot the only party opposing the conflict in Ukraine

Russia's highest court has barred Yabloko, the sole party opposing the Kremlin's military actions in Ukraine, from the parliamentary ballot for upcoming elections. The court's decision to remove Yabloko came after an appeal from a pro-Kremlin party. Initially, Yabloko, meaning "apple" in Russian, was allowed on the ballot along with 10 other parties by the Central Election Commission last month.

However, Yabloko, once a prominent liberal voice in parliament and frequently critical of the government, lost its parliamentary seats as the Kremlin's control over Russian politics intensified. Yabloko was the only registered opposition party that opposed sending troops into Ukraine, with campaign slogans emphasizing a ceasefire, diplomacy, and peace.

Many Russian opposition figures in exile, such as Yulia Navalnaya, Alexei Navalny's widow, and politicians Ilya Yashin and Vladimir Kara-Murza, had called for voters to support Yabloko.