The liberal opposition party Yabloko has formally appealed its exclusion from Russia's parliamentary elections, with party leader Nikolai Rybakov declaring in a video statement that Yabloko will appear on the Duma ballot despite last week's Supreme Court ruling.
The appeal hearing is scheduled for Monday, with party lawyers arguing they have demonstrated no grounds exist to bar Yabloko from the Sept. 18–20 vote. The party, which opposes Russia's war in Ukraine, had been unanimously cleared by the central election commission in July before the Supreme Court reversed that decision following a lawsuit by the nationalist Rodina party.
The nationwide parliamentary and local elections remain scheduled for Sept. 18–20.