Russia’s Supreme Court upholds ban on anti-war party Yabloko

Russia's Supreme Court has upheld a decision to bar the anti-war Yabloko party from participating in the upcoming State Duma election on September 20, 2026. The court refused to overturn the ruling issued on August 10, after Yabloko's lawyers challenged the decision. The dispute arose from accusations by the Rodina party, alleging copyright law violations in Yabloko's campaign materials and foreign funding.

Demonstrators, numbering over 85, were detained by police outside the Supreme Court during the appeal hearing on August 17. Yabloko is the sole party in Russia advocating for an antiwar stance, promoting the slogan "For Peace and Freedom!" Kremlin sources had warned that Yabloko's use of this slogan would likely result in disqualification from the federal ballot.

Initially, the Presidential Administration's campaign plan was set to proceed under a "conservative scenario," with tightly controlled participants. However, after Yabloko's popularity surged, the political bloc decided to remove it from the ballot to mitigate risks. According to sources familiar with the matter, Russian President Vladimir Putin personally ordered Yabloko's removal.

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