Yabloko chief vows to stay in Russia despite court ban from elections
Yabloko leader Nikolai Rybakov said he will remain in Russia and continue campaigning even after the Supreme Court barred the party from the September parliamentary vote.
Russia's sole registered anti-war party, Yabloko, was barred from the September State Duma elections by a Supreme Court ruling, a move its leader Nikolai Rybakov said reflects officials' fear of the party's peace platform resonating with voters. He told reporters from the party’s Moscow headquarters that thousands of supporters voiced their dissent outside the court, chanting “Shame!”. Despite holding only a handful of regional mandates and no seats in the lower house dominated by United Russia, Rybakov believes Yabloko could outperform expectations if reinstated.
The party has filed an appeal, rejecting allegations of hidden Western campaign aid. Rybakov, 47, affirmed he will not leave Russia, arguing that change must be pursued from within. Recent polling by the Levada Center shows public backing for the war has slipped to its lowest level since the conflict began, suggesting growing appetite for Yabloko's peace-focused agenda.
Why it matters
The ruling curtails a major opposition voice, highlighting limits on political dissent in Russia.
How this story developed
- Aug 2 Ukrainian drone raids kill eight across Russian regions amid deep-strike campaign
- Aug 5 The Senate approved the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia Act of 2026, extending penalties on Russia and Iran after an 86-to-11 vote.
- Aug 6 Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky is scheduled to travel to Serbia on Aug 8, marking his first trip there since the war began, a senior official said.
- Aug 7 The approved bill now proceeds to the House for further action.
- Aug 8 A Moscow tribunal has prohibited Yabloko, the only registered party opposing the war in Ukraine, from taking part in next month’s parliamentary elections.
- Aug 8 The Senate confirmed 73 Trump nominees, including Cameron Hamilton as head of FEMA.
- Aug 9 President Volodymyr Zelensky said Russia is preparing to host between 30,000 and 50,000 North Korean soldiers, and urged South Korea to aid Ukraine’s air-defence shortfall.
- Aug 11 Zelensky made his first official visit to Serbia.
- Aug 11 North Korea is integrating drones, electronic‑warfare and cyber tools into its military forces.
- Aug 11 A Moscow court issued a decision blocking Yabloko from the Duma ballot.
- Aug 12 Senate Banking Committee members wrote to top officials demanding an explanation for the suspension of regular counter‑evasion sanctions on Russia.
- Aug 13 A drone strike on a Russian beach near Gelendzhik killed seven people, including four children.
- Aug 13 Ukraine defence intelligence says Russia and North Korea are negotiating to increase North Korean troop presence in western Russia.
- Aug 13 The Supreme Court’s ruling formally bars Yabloko from the upcoming parliamentary election.
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