Hundreds of teenagers waited hours outside Russia’s Supreme Court to witness the only antiwar party lose its place on the ballot. Then a police officer raised a megaphone to talk about draft offices.

Key Points:

• Russia’s Supreme Court heard a lawsuit on August 10 seeking to revoke the Yabloko party’s registration for the State Duma elections, ultimately barring the party from participating due to accusations including copyright violations, alleged foreign financing, excessive online campaigning, and extremism related to its antiwar stance.
• Hundreds of mostly young supporters, many under 30 and some teenagers too young to vote, gathered peacefully outside the courthouse throughout the day, showing solidarity with Yabloko, the only antiwar party theoretically allowed on the ballot.
• Yabloko chairman Nikolai Rybakov strongly defended the party in court, highlighting the lack of official violations found by election authorities and criticizing the plaintiff’s evidence as fabricated and politically motivated propaganda.
• Despite hopes among supporters that Yabloko would remain on the ballot, many expressed skepticism about the fairness of the election and the likelihood of opposition parties gaining seats, emphasizing the symbolic importance of voting with conscience.
• After the court ruling, security forces quickly moved to disperse the crowd with threats of detentions, but Rybakov urged calm and orderly departure; he later led supporters to the subway while continuing to engage with them, reflecting the determination and cautious optimism of young activists amid a repressive political environment.