‘Freedom comes from within’: Lev Shlosberg’s address from Pskov prison
Lev Shlosberg’s letter from remand prison, 18 December 2025
Photo: Lev Shlosberg addresses the court via video link from remand prison
Dear friends, colleagues in the democratic Yabloko party, supporters near and far, people of peace and freedom whom I know and those whom I do not know,
On 9 December, the woman who delivers correspondence to prisoners asked me: “Are you in some sort of party?” “Yes, in Yabloko,” I replied. “You’re getting so many letters!” And I received the first pile of warm, sincere and heartfelt messages.
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Posted: December 18th, 2025 under Без рубрики.
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On the danger of attempts to divide Russia and Europe with a new ‘Iron Curtain’
Decision of the Federal Political Committee of Yabloko adopted on 2 December 2025, published on 17 December 2025
Photo by Vladimir Trefilov, RIA Novosti
The Russian authorities have declared the majority of European Union countries “unfriendly states”, employ offensive and aggressive rhetoric towards these countries and their leaders, accuse them of seeking to weaken and destroy Russia, reject European values as hostile, and accordingly shape public opinion within the country. The destruction of ties with Europe is accompanied by a reorientation of economic interaction towards China’s economy, which is rapidly growing and many times larger than Russia’s, towards manifestly disadvantageous strategic partnerships with countries such as North Korea, Iran and Venezuela.
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Posted: December 17th, 2025 under Foreign policy, Governance, Human Rights, Political Committee Decisions, Russia-Eu relations, Russia-Ukraine relations, Без рубрики.
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Nikolai Rybakov urges the State Duma to retain annual declarations by deputies
Press Release, 16 December 2025
Photo by Konstantin Kokoshkin, Kommersant
Yabloko party Chairman Nikolai Rybakov has sent a corresponding appeal to Vyacheslav Volodin, the State Duma Chairman. In his letter, Rybakov emphasised that the Yabloko party views this initiative as a direct threat to the foundations of public oversight, government accountability and the fight against corruption in the Russian Federation. The abolition of annual reporting and the transition to a system of selective departmental monitoring virtually amounts to the complete dismantling of an effective anti-corruption mechanism that has been developing in Russia since 2008.
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Posted: December 17th, 2025 under Governance, YABLOKO against Corruption, YABLOKO and Other Political Parties, Без рубрики.
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On the Danger of Intensification of State Political Repression
Decision of the Federal Political Committee of Yabloko adopted on 2 December 2025, published on 15 December 2025
Photo: Yabloko members held in custody: Maxim Kruglov (in pre-trial detention since October 2025), Lev Shlosberg (in pre-trial detention since December 2025), Konstantin Smirnov (in pre-trial detention since January 2025), Vladimir Yefimov (in a penal colony settlement since March 2025), Mikhail Afanasyev (in pre-trial detention since April 2022, in a general regime colony since January 2024), and Vasily Neustroyev (in pre-trial detention since June 2023)
As public understanding and support for the need to conclude a ceasefire agreement as soon as possible grows, censorship, restrictions on freedom of information, pressure and political repression against dissenters are intensifying ever more, and intolerance of dissent and fear are being whipped up ever more.
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Posted: December 15th, 2025 under Freedom of Speech, Governance, Human Rights, Judiciary, Political Committee Decisions, Yabloko's Regional Branches, Без рубрики.
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Muscovites wrote 695 letters to political prisoners at the Yabloko’s action of writing letters to political prisoners
Press Release, 14 December 2025
On 11 December, the Moscow branch of Yabloko held a pre-New Year event of writing letters to political prisoners. This is a regular monthly event of support and solidarity that takes place not only in Moscow but also in other cities across Russia. Typically, around 70 people in Moscow participate in the letter-writing event each month, with approximately 300 letters being sent after each event. However, this time the event was timed to coincide with the New Year, and so the number of cards and letters sent to people in detention reached a record 695.
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Posted: December 15th, 2025 under Freedom of Speech, Human Rights, Yabloko's Regional Branches, Без рубрики.
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Appellate court keeps Lev Shlosberg in pre-trial detention until 2 February 2026
Press Release, 12.12.2025
Photo: Lev Shlosberg at the court hearing on 12 December 2025 via video link from Pskov Remand Prison No. 1 / Photo by Anna Cherepanova
The Pskov Regional Court considered the appeal against the detention of Yabloko Deputy Chair Lev Shlosberg in just 2.5 hours and, despite numerous violations by the court of first instance, left the politician in pre-trial detention. The hearing was held behind closed doors – not only the media but also dozens of members of the public were barred from the courtroom, including Anna Cherepanova, Yabloko Deputy Chair and Chair of the Novgorod regional branch of Yabloko. She had travelled specially to Pskov to support her colleague.
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Posted: December 15th, 2025 under Elections, Freedom of Speech, Governance, Human Rights, Judiciary, State Duma Elections 2026, Yabloko's Regional Branches, Без рубрики.
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On Preventing Nuclear Catastrophe
Decision of the Federal Political Committee of Yabloko adopted on 2 December 2025, published on 12 December 2025
The system of restraining nuclear arms race created in the 20th century is collapsing.
Less than three months remain until the extended Russian-American Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (New START) expires. The possibility of extending it again is not provided for in the treaty’s terms (Article 14, Paragraph 2) and would require political will and agreement from both parties, neither of which is currently observed. The prospects of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT) entering into full force in the foreseeable future is equally dim.
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Posted: December 12th, 2025 under Foreign policy, Governance, Political Committee Decisions, Russia-Eu relations, Russia-Ukraine relations, Russia-US Relations.
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On the Political Situation in Russia and the World and the Role of the Yabloko Party
Decision of the Federal Political Committee of Yabloko adopted on 2 December 2025, published on 10 December 2025
The duration of hostilities between Russia and Ukraine will soon exceed the 1,418 days of the Great Patriotic War [the war fought by the Soviet Union against Nazi Germany from June 22, 1941 (German invasion) to May 9, 1945 (German surrender), forming the Eastern Front of World War II ]. For the first time since its conclusion, intensive military operations are taking place in Europe, leading to the deaths of enormous numbers of people and large-scale destruction.
The awareness of the consequences of the catastrophe of World War II and the construction of a system of inter-state and intra-state relations in which human life is the highest value have, eighty years later, been replaced by the erosion of universal human values from world politics, and by the inability of many world leaders, including European ones, to engage in professional substantive discussion and resolution of the most important problems in the interests of humanity.
At the same time, the international institutions created after World War II have proved incapable of preventing or resolving the acute crisis situations of recent years.
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Posted: December 10th, 2025 under Foreign policy, Governance, History, Human Rights, Political Committee Decisions, Russia-Eu relations, Russia-Ukraine relations, Без рубрики.
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On the Yabloko Party’s participation in elections to the State Duma of Russia in 2026
Decision of the Federal Political Committee of Yabloko adopted on 2.12.2025, published on 8.12.2025
The Yabloko Party will participate in the 2026 elections.
Today, conducting an election campaign for us is not only a legal requirement necessary for preserving the party and participating in future federal elections without collecting signatures.
We consider it necessary to use all possible means to promote the values of peace, humanity, respect for people, human dignity and human rights in the socio-political space of today’s Russia. We regard elections as such an opportunity. Our task is to uphold a direction connected with humanistic values, the defence of human rights, and to ensure the development of this direction into the future. People must be at the centre of the political agenda.
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Posted: December 8th, 2025 under Elections, Freedom of Speech, Governance, Human Rights, Political Committee Decisions, Regional and Local Elections, Regional and Local Elections 2026, Russia-Eu relations, Russia-Ukraine relations, Russia-US Relations, State Duma Elections, State Duma Elections 2026.
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Ivan Bolshakov: Preserving people’s lives and freedom, peace and human rights – this is true patriotism
Speech at the Federal Council on 6.12.2025, published on 7.12.2025
Photo: Member of the Federal Political Committee Ivan Bolshakov / Photo by the Yabloko Press Service
You know, it is not very appropriate when a party bestows unique characteristics upon itself and describes itself in exceptional terms. However, sometimes circumstances develop in such a way that these terms and characteristics become the genuine truth, rather than forms of positioning and PR.
It has so happened that Yabloko remains one of a kind. The only democratic party in the country. The only legal opposition. The only political force in Russia opposing bloodshed, repression and dictatorship.
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Posted: December 8th, 2025 under Elections, Federal Council meetings, Freedom of Assembly, Governance, Human Rights, Political Parties, Regional and Local Elections, Regional and Local Elections 2026, State Duma Elections, State Duma Elections 2026, YABLOKO Against the Parties of Power.
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Nikolai Rybakov: “They can take away our freedom, but no one will manage to take away our faith, our thoughts and our convictions”
Press Release, 6.12.2025
Photo: Nikolai Rybakov / Photo by the Yabloko Press Service
Yabloko Party Chairman Nikolai Rybakov spoke at the Federal Council of Yabloko, where he reported on the state of affairs in the party and the main directions of work for 2025.
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Posted: December 8th, 2025 under Elections, Federal Council meetings, Freedom of Speech, Governance, History, Human Rights, Judiciary, Overcoming Stalin's Legacy, Regional and Local Elections, Regional and Local Elections 2025, Regional and Local Elections 2026, Russia-Ukraine relations, Yabloko's Regional Branches, Без рубрики.
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Grigory Yavlinsky at the Federal Council: Yabloko’s main goal is to put people back at the centre of politics
Press Release, 6.12.2025
Photo: Grigory Yavlinsky / Photo by the Yabloko Press Service
At a meeting of the Yabloko Party Federal Council, Grigory Yavlinsky presented a report on the key challenges of our time and the party’s role in conditions of mounting international and domestic threats.
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Posted: December 8th, 2025 under Federal Council meetings, Foreign policy, Governance, Human Rights, Russia-Eu relations, Russia-Ukraine relations, Russia-US Relations.
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Court sends Lev Shlosberg to remand prison until 2 February under a new, already the third criminal case
Press Release, 5.12.2025
Photo: Lev Shlosberg / Photo by the Yabloko Press Service
A new criminal case has been opened against Yabloko Deputy Chairman Lev Shlosberg – under Article 207.3 Part 2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (so-called “fakes about the army”) over a repost of a publication on a Telegram channel made in February 2022. The case emerged on 3 December and today, 5 December, Pskov City Court held a closed hearing to consider an application by the investigator of the Russian Interior Ministry Directorate for Pskov Region for a preventive measure to be imposed on Shlosberg. Following a seven-hour hearing, the court ruled to remand him in custody until 2 February.
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Posted: December 8th, 2025 under Freedom of Speech, Human Rights, Judiciary, Yabloko's Regional Branches.
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Lecture by astrophysicist and professor the Russian Academy of Sciences Sergei Popov “A Universe of Questions and Answers” to take place on 9 December
Press Release, 5 December 2025
Yabloko is continuing its series of events hosted by astrophysicist and professor the Russian Academy of Sciences Sergei Popov. On 9 December he will deliver a lecture entitled “A Universe of Questions and Answers”. In the chat of his Telegram channel, Sergei Popov has collected several dozen questions which he will answer during the lecture.
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Posted: December 5th, 2025 under Conferences and Seminars.
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The Yabloko faction in Karelia’s Legislative Assembly walked out of budget debate in protest against the ruling party’s blocking of 20 amendments proposed by Yabloko
Press Release, 4 December 2025
Photo: Three factions – Yabloko, A Just Russia, and the CPRF, who left the regional parliament session in protest / Photo by Emilia Slabunova
On 4 December, at a session of the Legislative Assembly of the Republic of Karelia, the parliamentary majority consisting of the United Russia faction effectively blocked even the possibility of voicing and discussing amendments to the draft budget proposed by opposition factions. This was reported by Emilia Slabunova, member of Yabloko’s Federal Political Committee and deputy in the Karelia’s Legislative Assembly. She emphasised that “the amendments were not examined on their merits, and attempts to secure open and equal discussion were thwarted by manipulations of the rules of procedure”.
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Posted: December 5th, 2025 under Social Policies, The Yabloko faction in the Legislative Assembly of Karelia, Yabloko's Regional Branches.
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Court fines Yabloko Chairman Nikolai Rybakov over a post expressing condolences
Press Release, 4.12.2025
Photo: Nikolai Rybakov holds a placard “Freedom to Political Prisoners” / Photo by the Yabloko Press Service
Yabloko party Chairman Nikolai Rybakov has been found guilty of “displaying extremist symbols” and fined 1,500 roubles. Punishment under this article also entails a ban on standing in elections for one year if the court’s ruling comes into force.
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Posted: December 4th, 2025 under Elections, Freedom of Speech, Governance, Human Rights, Judiciary, Regional and Local Elections, Regional and Local Elections 2026, State Duma Elections, State Duma Elections 2026, Yabloko's Regional Branches, Без рубрики.
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Yabloko will take part in the 2026 elections under the slogans “For Peace and Freedom! For a Life Without Fear!”
Press Release, 3 December 2025
The Yabloko party will take part in the 2026 elections – to the State Duma and regional legislative assemblies, including those regional parliaments where Yabloko is currently represented (St Petersburg, Karelia, and the Pskov Region). This decision was taken at a meeting of the Federal Political Committee of Yabloko on 2 December. The campaign will be conducted under the slogans “For Peace and Freedom! For a Life Without Fear!”
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Posted: December 3rd, 2025 under Elections, Foreign policy, Freedom of Speech, Governance, Human Rights, Regional and Local Elections, Regional and Local Elections 2026, Russia-Eu relations, Russia-Ukraine relations, Russia-US Relations, State Duma Elections, State Duma Elections 2026, Yabloko's Regional Branches.
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Grigory Yavlinsky: On Political Therapy
Grigory Yavlinsky’s web-site, 2.12.2025
Photo: President Donald Trump meets in the Oval Office with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, French President Emmanuel Macron, Finnish President Alexander Stubb, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte following a telephone conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin, 18 August 2025 // Photo by Daniel Torok
Any peace initiatives aimed at halting hostilities between Russia and Ukraine continue to provoke strange, hysterical reactions from all sides. For instance, the head of European diplomacy, Kaja Kallas, recently declared that “a very swift path to peace is not advantageous for Ukraine” – in other words, let people continue to be killed and let the destruction of energy infrastructure carry on through the winter.
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Posted: December 3rd, 2025 under Foreign policy, Human Rights, Russia-Eu relations, Russia-Ukraine relations, Russia-US Relations, Без рубрики.
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Yabloko’s New Year charity fair to take place on 25 December
Press Release, 3.12.2025
On 25 December, the Yabloko party invites everyone to a New Year charity fair. For the third year now, we have been holding such a fair with the participation of inclusive projects and charitable foundations.
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Posted: December 3rd, 2025 under Charity, Human Rights.
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