Russia Bans Yabloko Anti-War Party from Elections

Russia's Supreme Court this week upheld a lawsuit seeking to exclude the anti-war liberal opposition party Yabloko from parliamentary elections scheduled for September 18–20, 2026. The case was brought by the Rodina party, which is considered close to the Kremlin. If the ruling stands, voters will lose one of the few remaining legal channels to express opposition to the war in Ukraine through the ballot box.

Who Is Yabloko?

Yabloko — meaning apple in Russian — takes its name from the initials of its three founders: Grigory Yavlinsky, Yuri Boldyrev, and Vladimir Lukin. The apple has become the party's enduring symbol. Yabloko has consistently opposed Russia's war in Ukraine and advocates for peace, civil liberties, and democratic governance. The party is led by Nikolai Rybakov.

The Rodina party accused Yabloko of copyright violations in its campaign materials, suspected extremist activities, and receiving financing from abroad — all charges Yabloko flatly denies. The case was decided by Judge Vyacheslav Kirillov, the same judge who previously banned the prominent Russian human rights organization Memorial. In the same session, Judge Kirillov also dismissed a lawsuit filed by the late opposition politician Alexei Navalny against the Russian prison service — Navalny died in custody in 2024.

Scenes Outside the Court

At least 500 people gathered outside the Supreme Court building to show their support for Yabloko, handing out apples and singing songs. After the nine-hour hearing concluded, security forces threatened those present with arrest and warned young men they could be transported to military conscription offices — a stark illustration of how political dissent is treated in Russia today.

Writing on Telegram that evening, party leader Rybakov refused to accept the verdict: They are wrong if they believe that with a stroke of a pen they can cross out millions of people who want peace, freedom and a normal future for their country. The party announced it will appeal the ruling.

Kremlin's Calculation

Yabloko founder Grigory Yavlinsky stated that the Kremlin fears the party's program, which calls for peace, freedom and life without fear. Political analysts note that banning a legal, registered opposition party sets a troubling precedent ahead of elections that international observers are unlikely to be allowed to monitor freely.