In a significant development, a Moscow court has barred Russia's sole liberal and anti-war party, Yabloko, from participating in next month's parliamentary elections. The decision follows legal action initiated by Rodina, a pro-Kremlin nationalist party, which accused Yabloko of supporting extremist organizations and copyright infringement. The Kremlin-controlled Central Electoral Commission had earlier approved Yabloko's candidate list, but several key members were disqualified, including two deputy chairmen and Maxim Kruglov, sentenced to seven years for social media posts about civilian casualties in Ukrainian cities. This move comes amidst growing dissent over Russia's war in Ukraine, with public shows of opposition suppressed by wartime censorship laws. Yabloko, though not winning Duma seats since 2003, has consistently been Russia's most vocal anti-war voice, opposing conflicts such as the war on Chechnya, the annexation of Crimea, and the invasion of Ukraine. With United Russia's ratings down amidst inflation, internet blackouts, and drone strikes, Yabloko's support had been surging. However, the government seems to have changed its calculations, potentially aiming to prevent a low-turnout election that could benefit the opposition. All other parties contesting the election either support or are silent on Russia's war in Ukraine. Independent election watchdogs have been deprived of their monitoring and challenging capabilities, raising concerns about the fairness of the upcoming elections.