Russia’s Central Election Commission has authorized the liberal opposition party Yabloko to participate in the upcoming parliamentary elections scheduled for September 18 to 20. This decision marks the first time in several years that the party openly opposing Russia’s ongoing war in Ukraine will be allowed to present candidates on the ballot.

The commission unanimously approved Yabloko’s list of 269 candidates for the State Duma elections. Yabloko has been one of the few political groups in Russia to openly criticize the country’s full-scale military invasion of Ukraine, a stance that has subjected many of its members to what the party’s supporters describe as political repression and arbitrary legal actions.

Under the campaign slogan “For Peace and Freedom,” Yabloko seeks to offer voters an alternative amid a political climate where dissent is tightly controlled. Nikolai Rybakov, the party’s chairman, described the moment as significant for Russia, emphasizing that for the first time in five years, citizens will be able to vote peacefully and safely for a future centered on peace, freedom, and a society without fear. However, despite this opportunity, Rybakov himself was barred from running in the elections.

The party’s candidate list is led by Yaroslav Shcherbakov, who acknowledged the difficult circumstances facing Yabloko but expressed cautious optimism. “There are no illusions, but there is hope,” he said, highlighting the challenges ahead as well as the potential for change.

In previous election cycles, many Yabloko candidates were disqualified from running, making this approval a notable development in Russia’s tightly controlled electoral environment. The upcoming elections will serve as a test of the political space available to opposition parties amid continued tensions over Russia’s actions in Ukraine.