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

Russia’s Supreme Court has ruled that Yabloko, the sole opposition party opposing Ukraine’s conflict, must be excluded from the upcoming parliamentary elections. The decision comes after Yabloko, meaning “apple” in Russian, lost its registration following an appeal by a pro-Kremlin party. Initially, the Central Election Commission had permitted Yabloko to stand alongside ten other parties on the ballot last month.

Once a prominent liberal voice in parliament and a vocal critic of the government, Yabloko gradually lost its parliamentary base as the Kremlin consolidated its control over Russian politics. Throughout recent years, Yabloko remained the only officially registered opposition party that staunchly opposed deploying troops to Ukraine.

Campaign slogans for the party emphasized a ceasefire, diplomacy, and peace, with a clear message of preventing nuclear war and safeguarding Russia from fear and political repression.