Russia's Court Bars Yabloko, Only Party Opposing Ukraine War
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- Russia's Supreme Court on Monday annulled Yabloko's registration for next month's parliamentary election after an appeal from a pro-Kremlin party, reversing a decision by the Central Election Commission that had initially placed the party on the ballot alongside 10 others last month.
- Yabloko — Russian for "apple" — was the only registered opposition party that opposed sending troops into Ukraine, making it the sole anti-war option on the ballot.
- Yabloko's campaign slogans explicitly called for a ceasefire and diplomacy, with planks including "For a ceasefire agreement, diplomacy and peace!" and "Our goal is to prevent nuclear war!"
- Yulia Navalnaya, widow of Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny, along with exiled opposition politicians Ilya Yashin and Vladimir Kara-Murza, had urged Russian voters to back Yabloko.
- Yabloko was once a leading liberal voice in the Russian parliament but lost its bloc of seats as the Kremlin tightened its grip on Russian politics.
Why it matters: With Yabloko removed, Russian voters heading to next month's parliamentary election will have no anti-war option on the ballot — a notable escalation given that exiled opposition figures were actively mobilizing support behind Yabloko as the lone registered party opposing the conflict.
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