Pskov Court Bars Yabloko From Regional Assembly Race

Aug. 26, 2026 @pskovyabloko / Telegram A judge in the western Pskov region has disqualified the liberal Yabloko party’s list of candidates from the upcoming regional assembly elections, the party said on Tuesday evening. The regional ban follows Russia’s Supreme Court ruling last week to reject Yabloko’s final appeal against a nationwide ban barring its candidate list from the State Duma elections next month. Like the lawsuit that led to Yabloko’s federal ban, the Pskov region lawsuit was filed by the small nationalist party Rodina, which claimed Yabloko committed technical violations during its campaign registration. The Pskov Regional Court ruled in favor of Rodina, effectively stripping Russia’s only registered party campaigning on a pro-peace platform from its final remaining stronghold. Pskov was the last of three regions where Yabloko held seats in regional assemblies and had secured ballot access for next month’s elections, according to the outlet 7x7. Regional election commissions previously rejected Yabloko’s registration in St. Petersburg and similarly removed its list of candidates in the republic of Karelia following another lawsuit filed by Rodina there. Yabloko, Russia’s oldest liberal party, said it will appeal the Pskov region ruling. “The Pskov Yabloko team considers it illegal, unfounded and meant to unfairly eliminate political competitors,” the party chapter said in a post on Telegram. Yabloko’s counter-lawsuit to pull Rodina’s list of candidates from the regional assembly race is scheduled to be heard on Thursday. The Pskov chapter of Yabloko has long been the political base of Lev Shlosberg, a prominent anti-war politician who was sentenced to more than 11 years in prison last week under wartime censorship laws. Read more about: Yabloko , Pskov , Court cases , Regions 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 Shlosberg Charged With Spreading ‘Fakes’ About Russian Army The charge, the third brought against Lev Shlosberg this year, was announced three days before he was due to be released from house arrest. 1 Min read Opposition Politician Shlosberg Returned to House Arrest Pending ‘Discreditation’ Trial The Pskov City Court had ruled earlier this week to impose a ban on certain activities instead of continuing Lev Shlosberg’s house arrest. 2 Min read Shlosberg Placed Under House Arrest Pending Trial Authorities accuse the Pskov region opposition figure of repeatedly “discrediting” the Russian military under wartime censorship laws. 1 Min read Lev Shlosberg Arrested and Charged With Repeatedly ‘Discrediting’ Russian Army The senior Yabloko party member has remained in Russia despite his open opposition to the full-scale invasion of Ukraine. 2 Min read