On Monday, August 10th, 2026, Russia's Supreme Court barred Yabloko, the country's only anti-war political party, from running in the September parliamentary elections for the State Duma. Judge Vyacheslav Kirillov announced that the claims to annul Yabloko's federal list of candidates were granted, upholding a suit brought by a pro-Kremlin nationalist party.

Following the ruling, about a hundred mostly young supporters gathered outside the courthouse chanting "Shame! Shame!". Yabloko leader Nikolay Rybakov addressed the crowd, stating the party would appeal the decision. He emphasized the party's mission: "We have a long way ahead and we have a big and important task: to stop deaths and bring the peace back. Everything we do should be dedicated to that."

Yabloko has struggled politically under increased Kremlin control, failing to win seats in the State Duma since 2003. A poll earlier this year showed the party with just 3 percent support, below the 5-percent threshold required to enter the lower house.

The party's anti-war stance has led to legal challenges against its members. Russia opened a criminal case in 2024 against Yabloko's Lev Shlosberg, one of the few remaining anti-war Kremlin critics still in the country. In 2025, Shlosberg was charged again for allegedly spreading false information about Russia's army, a charge announced just three days before his scheduled release from house arrest.

This court decision effectively removes the last anti-war option from the ballot in the upcoming elections amid ongoing conflict in Ukraine.

Sources