Kathmandu— Russia’s Supreme Court on Monday ruled to bar the Yabloko political party from running in upcoming parliamentary elections, effectively eliminating the sole officially registered group that opposes Moscow’s ongoing conflict in Ukraine. The decision came after a suit brought by the pro-Kremlin nationalist Rodina party, which alleged undeclared campaign support for Yabloko – accusations the party denies. With most of President Vladimir Putin's opponents already silenced through imprisonment, exile, or death, this ruling further restricts political dissent and limits voter choice ahead of next month’s vote.

Legal Challenge and Ruling

The Supreme Court upheld Rodina’s suit to annul Yabloko’s registration, removing the party from the ballot. Judge Vyacheslav Kirillov announced that the claims seeking to invalidate Yabloko's candidacy had been granted. The case centered on allegations made by Rodina that Yabloko received undeclared campaign funding, including support originating from Western sources. During a full day of hearings, Yabloko leader Nikolai Rybakov refuted these claims, characterizing the legal challenge as an unconstitutional attack on freedom of thought designed to eliminate political rivals.

Public Reaction and Appeal

Approximately 100 Yabloko supporters gathered outside the courthouse during the ruling, chanting “Shame! Shame!” Many demonstrators carried apples—a symbolic reference to the party’s name, which means ‘apple’ in Russian. Following the court's decision, Rybakov addressed the crowd, announcing plans to appeal the ruling and reaffirming the party’s commitment to ending the conflict in Ukraine. He stated, “We have a long way ahead, and we have a big and important task: to stop deaths and bring the peace back.”

Political Context and Limited Opposition

Yabloko stands as Russia's only remaining liberal party still actively operating within the country, having garnered support from exiled opposition figures such as Yulia Navalnaya, widow of the late Alexey Navalny. Both Navalnaya and her husband are designated as “extremists” by Russian authorities. Despite this backing, recent polls indicate limited public support for Yabloko, with only three percent of voters indicating they would cast a ballot for the party – falling short of the five-percent threshold needed to secure representation in Russia’s lower house. Since 2003, Yabloko has been unable to win seats in the State Duma, with every parliamentary election consistently won by the ruling United Russia party, which supports President Putin.

Yabloko intends to appeal the Supreme Court's decision, but its prospects for participating in next month’s elections remain uncertain. The ruling underscores a continuing trend of restricted political space within Russia as the conflict in Ukraine persists.

(With inputs from Al Jazeera)

Originally published on abcnews.com.np.