Russia Intensifies Crackdown on Yabloko, Candidate Sentenced Ahead of Elections

Russian authorities continue systematic repression against opposition party Yabloko, the only party openly opposing the war in Ukraine. A court in Yekaterinburg sentenced candidate Vladimir Sevostianov to 12 days of administrative arrest for a 2020 social media post, part of a broader pattern of removing party representatives before elections. This signals sustained political suppression, with implications for domestic political stability and the legitimacy of upcoming electoral processes.