A 21-year-old candidate for Russia’s antiwar Yabloko party documented her campaign for the St. Petersburg legislature
Russia’s elections are over, and Yabloko faced unprecedented pressure throughout them. The party’s federal list was removed from the ballot back in the summer, and its regional lists followed. Only one survived, in the Novgorod region. Yabloko candidates running for regional legislatures in single-member districts complained of pressure, and several were removed from the ballot. The outlet Bereg…
On August 11, a mere thirty-eight days before the election, Yabloko was unjustly ousted from the State Duma race. The Supreme Court had deemed Yabloko unfit to participate. Yabloko would have been the only party advocating for a swift ceasefire with Ukraine. The district election commission (DEC) had demanded a donation, even though the donor had provided accurate information.
This seemingly minor issue led to hours spent sorting out payments with Sberbank. The day brought another surprise when The New York Times reached out, asking for Peslyak's thoughts on her campaign and Yabloko's disqualification. Peslyak, however, hesitated, fearing the repercussions. She pondered whether to speak for herself or for the party.
Throughout the day, she received support from Lyudmila Vasilyeva, a Yabloko member, and grappled with the fear of potential consequences, including threats from law enforcement. Despite the anxiety, Peslyak insisted on moving forward, focusing on her campaign and the volunteers she had rallied.
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