July 31, 2026 Members of Yabloko in St. Petersburg. yabloko.ru Russia’s Central Election Commission (CEC) on Friday upheld its St. Petersburg branch’s decision to bar candidates nominated by the liberal Yabloko party for the upcoming regional parliamentary elections over a technical paperwork issue. St. Petersburg’s 50-seat legislative assembly, where Yabloko currently holds two seats, is one of eight mostly northwestern Russian regions where Yabloko is fielding candidates in local elections this September. City election authorities disqualified Yabloko’s entire candidate slate last week on claims a notarized power of attorney lacked explicit language authorizing the party representative to sign financial disclosure paperwork. Though Yabloko quickly resubmitted corrected notarized documents, St. Petersburg’s election commission rejected the fix, ruling that authority could not be granted retroactively. On Friday, the CEC voted unanimously to reject Yabloko’s appeal to the St. Petersburg commission’s decision. The party said it plans to appeal that rejection in court. Yabloko chairman Nikolai Rybakov accused election officials of systematically targeting the party because it “opposes the authorities and defends residents and the city of St. Petersburg.” The disqualification of Yabloko candidates in St. Petersburg contrasts with the CEC’s decision on Wednesday to clear the party to field candidates in nationwide elections for the State Duma, Russia’s lower house of parliament. Yabloko is the only officially registered political party running on a pro-peace platform amid a broader crackdown on anti-war dissent. Russian authorities have jailed several prominent Yabloko members in recent years on charges connected to their criticism of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Read more about: Central Election Commission , St. Petersburg , Elections , Yabloko Sign up for our free weekly newsletter Our weekly newsletter contains a hand-picked selection of news, features, analysis and more from The Moscow Times. You will receive it in your mailbox every Friday. Never miss the latest news from Russia. Preview Subscribers agree to the Privacy Policy We sent a confirmation to your email. Please confirm your subscription. A Message from The Moscow Times: Dear readers, We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent." These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia. We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help. Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact. By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us. Once Monthly Annual Continue Not ready to support today? Remind me later. × Remind me next month Remind me Thank you! Your reminder is set. We will send you one reminder email a month from now. For details on the personal data we collect and how it is used, please see our Privacy Policy. Read more Election Commission Clears Yabloko to Run Pro-Peace Candidates in State Duma Races Yabloko Chairman Nikolai Ryabkov said the decision gives Russians their first opportunity in five years “to vote for peace and freedom, offering a legal... 2 Min read Yabloko Candidates Disqualified in St. Petersburg Elections Over Missing Paperwork Members of Yabloko told local media that 11 of their 25 nominees received formal notices claiming their submissions were incomplete. 2 Min read All Yabloko Candidates Barred From Running in St. Petersburg Local Elections A party spokesman said that all 83 members who filed paperwork to run for municipal council seats in September were barred from the ballot. 1 Min read Timeline: Russia’s Presidential Elections Since Independence Russia's presidential elections have gradually slid from the flawed democratic elections of the 1990s to the tightly controlled spectacles of the 2010s... 8 Min read
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Russian woman’s body found in suitcase in vicinity of Belgrade: what we know
• What happened: The body of a Russian woman, identified as Lyudmila Turkova, was discovered in a suitcase in a remote area of Belgrade, leading to the arrest o...