Yabloko Appeals Russian Supreme Court Ruling Barring It From State Duma Elections

Aug. 14, 2026 Yabloko party chairman Nikolai Rybakov. REUTERS / Anastasia Barashkova The liberal Yabloko party filed an appeal with Russia’s Supreme Court on Friday, challenging a ruling to cancel the registration of the party’s federal slate of candidates for next month’s State Duma elections. The Supreme Court accepted the appeal and scheduled a hearing for Monday, Aug. 17, at 10 a.m. Moscow time. “We’ll prove that the truth is on our side and on the side of the people who support us,” Yabloko chairman Nikolai Rybakov told reporters outside the courthouse after he and his party submitted the appeal. Last week, the Supreme Court disqualified Yabloko from parliamentary elections in September for copyright violations during campaign activity and for breaking campaign finance laws by allegedly accepting funding from abroad. That ruling removes Russia’s oldest liberal party — and what was the only registered party campaigning on a pro-peace platform — from the nationwide party-list ballot. Yabloko was given five days to appeal the decision. “Our lawyers proved beyond any doubt that there was not the slightest basis for any claim to remove Yabloko,” Rybakov said Friday, vowing that “Yabloko will be on the ballot.” Rybakov also confirmed Yabloko’s plans to sue Rodina, the small nationalist party that filed the lawsuit against Yabloko in the Supreme Court, for defamation. In its suit, Rodina had accused Yabloko of “extremism” and receiving foreign funding, in addition to copyright infringement. Rodina filed its own appeal on Friday, arguing that the Supreme Court erred by failing to uphold all of its claims against Yabloko in full. The court will consider both appeals concurrently on Monday. There was a heavy police presence outside the courthouse on Friday. At least 10 Yabloko supporters were taken into police vans, with at least three being formally detained, according to the RusNews outlet. Plainclothes anti-extremism officers were also seen following Yabloko party leaders on the Moscow metro after the filing, Sotavision reported. Read more about: Yabloko , Supreme Court , Court cases 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 State Prosecutors Seek 12-Year Prison Sentence for Lev Shlosberg The veteran opposition politician is accused of “discrediting” and spreading “fake news” about the Russian armed forces. 2 Min read Nationalist Rodina Party Sues to Disqualify Yabloko From State Duma Elections Rodina leader Alexei Zhuravlyov accused Yabloko members of being traitors “who work for the West” and claimed his party had uncovered financial violations... 2 Min read Yabloko Deputy Leader Jailed 7 Years for ‘War Fakes’ Maxim Kruglov, a former Moscow city councilman, was arrested in October over social media posts from April 2022 discussing civilian deaths following the... 1 Min read Ousted Russian Supreme Court Judge Implicated in Child Prostitution Investigation Viktor Momotov resigned from the Russian Supreme Court last month after being charged with illegally operating hotels while serving in public office. 2 Min read