Targeting Russia's Antiwar Party

As parliamentary and regional elections approach, Russian authorities have ratcheted up pressure on members of Yabloko ("Apple"), the country’s only registered political party openly opposing Russia's War on Ukraine. The independent outlet Veter reported that, in recent months, fines over old social media posts, forced drug testing, searches, administrative cases, and arrests have been happening almost weekly. 

On April 10, Grigory Gribenko, a regional Yabloko leader in Irkutsk, was stopped by traffic police while attempting to organize a rally against state blocking of Telegram. Officers cited signs of intoxication and took him in for drug testing. He was also formally warned against holding public events between April 10 and May 11.

Five days later, authorities reported a positive drug test, alleging the presence of tetrahydrocannabinol, the active component in marijuana. Anticipating possible falsification, Gribenko underwent independent testing at a private clinic, which found no presence of drugs.

On April 23, police searched his apartment, where he lives with his wife and young daughter, as part of a case involving alleged drug possession. He later refused another drug test, citing concerns over the manipulation of results, and was sentenced to 12 days in detention for alleged drug use without a prescription.

Yabloko chairman Nikolai Rybakov said the case was intended to intimidate opposition figures before elections, as public dissatisfaction grows amid the war and restrictions.

According to Yabloko, since the start of the full-scale war in Ukraine, 10 of its members have faced criminal charges, 11 activists have served administrative arrests, and more than 40 searches have been conducted at members’ homes and offices. Authorities have filed 47 cases against 37 members and supporters for "discrediting" the army, with fines totaling more than R6.5 million (nearly $87,000). At least 30 people have been detained, and 11 members have been labeled "foreign agents."

In recent months, courts have increasingly fined party members. On April 21, Emilia Slabunova, a regional leader in Karelia and member of the local legislature, was fined for allegedly displaying "extremist symbols." Authorities cited a 2020 post said to include Alexei Navalny, who was later designated an extremist figure. Slabunova said no such post exists on her Telegram channel. Similar cases have been reported in other regions, often based on archived posts, photos, or saved images published years before any bans were introduced.

Ruslan Zinatullin, a regional party leader in Tatarstan, said the penalties appear minor but carry significant political consequences. Under Russian election law, individuals found guilty under such administrative articles can be barred from running for office for one year, a restriction that could prevent potential candidates from participating in upcoming elections.

Beyond administrative cases, several senior party figures are facing criminal prosecution.

• Maxim Kruglov has been in pretrial detention since October 2025 on charges of spreading "fake news" about the army, linked to social media posts referencing events in Bucha and Mariupol in 2022.
• Konstantin Smirnov, a regional leader, municipal deputy, and editor, has been held since January 2025 on extortion charges that party officials describe as politically motivated.
• Lev Shlosberg, another senior figure, has been detained on charges of "repeatedly discrediting the army" and spreading alleged fake images.

Political analyst Abbas Gallyamov said even limited participation by Yabloko candidates could shift the meaning of elections.

"The appearance of an antiwar candidate on the ballot turns the campaign into a vote on the war itself," he said. "For the Kremlin, that creates an unacceptable level of political risk. If such candidates are officially registered, it signals to voters that open opposition is possible and fear can be overcome."

Gallyamov said authorities appear to be relying not only on technical barriers to candidate registration but increasingly on criminal cases, arrests, and public pressure — measures that both prevent candidates from running and portray them as adversaries of the state.