Registration for political parties has commenced in Russia ahead of the elections scheduled for September 18-20. Among those registered is the anti-war party Yabloko, which advocates for the cessation of hostilities in Ukraine. The party has garnered immediate support from opposition figures, social media users, and bloggers, including Nekoglyad and Milokhin.
However, Yabloko has distanced itself from any foreign backing, fearing that such support could lead to disqualification from the elections. In response to Yabloko’s stance against the war, pro-Putin factions within the State Duma have swiftly called for the party’s removal from the elections.
Legal actions have already been initiated against Yabloko, stemming from graphics generated by ChatGPT, images of Dmitry Medvedev, and scenes from the Soviet film “War and Peace”—a situation that seems almost surreal. Some courts have begun to annul the registration of Yabloko’s candidate lists in various regions across Russia. This situation highlights the challenges faced by the anti-war party, which is experiencing significant pressure even before the elections begin.
