Is
Modernisation in Russia Possible? Interview
with Grigory Yavlinsky and Boris Titov by Yury Pronko,
"The Real Time" programme, Radio Finam, May
12, 2010
Photo: Iya Boronina, Chair of the Yabloko branch in Udmurtia / Photo from personal archive
Rapid growth in budget expenditure that is not covered by own revenues is the key financial problem of the Republic of Udmurtia, Yabloko experts note. When preparing amendments to the draft law on the regional budget, they analysed both the draft budget law and the explanatory note to it, as well as the forecast of the region’s socio-economic development, the conclusion of the Accounts Chamber of the Russian Federation on the federal budget, and Central Bank data. Over the past three years, regional budget expenditure has grown almost twofold; however, instead of a balanced and responsible financial policy that could reduce inefficient spending and lower debt burden, the regional government continues to increase expenditure, Yabloko states.
Photo: Kirill Goncharov / Photo by the Yabloko Press Service
On 22 November, the Conference of the Moscow regional branch of Yabloko took place. The delegates elected new leaders of Moscow Yabloko Kirill Goncharov was elected Chairman, Yury Shein as Deputy Chairman, and 18 people were elected to the Bureau of the regional branch.
Photo: Yabloko postcards that can be sent to political prisoners / Photo by the party press service
Every month, Yabloko invites everyone to its actions of writing letters to political prisoners — a traditional event that takes place at party offices in Moscow and Russian regions. Here anyone can sign a postcard or write a letter to a person persecuted for political reasons for their words, thoughts or conscientious work. For participants’ convenience, Yabloko regularly updates the schedule of events in Moscow and other cities of the country.
Photo: Lev Shlosberg / Photo by the Yabloko Press Service
Yabloko party Deputy Chairman Lev Shlosberg and his defenders Vitaly Isakov and Vladimir Danilov have appealed the sentence in the case of his allegedly “missing ‘foreign agent’ labels”, as Shlosberg saved several videos by other people on his VKontakte social media page without supplying them with his mandatory foreign agent label, which was impossible to do even from the technical point of view. It should be noted that on 5 November, judge of magistrate’s court No. 38 sentenced the politician to 420 hours of community service for keeping five other people’s videos on his personal VKontakte page without his mandatory “foreign agent” labelling. In the appeal against the sentence filed with Pskov City Court, Shlosberg and his defence identify 99 violations committed by the court of first instance.
Photo: Boris Vishnevsky / Photo by the Yabloko Press Service
The Yabloko party regards the decision made today by St Petersburg City Court regarding the collection of articles by party Deputy Chairman Boris Vishnevsky, published in 2015, as not based on Russian law.
Photo: Boris Vishnevsky / Photo by the Yabloko Press Service
St. Petersburg City Court on 20 November 2025 recognised the collection “Chronicles of Reborn Arkanar”, published in September 2015, as “extremist material”. The book is a collection of articles by Yabloko Deputy Chairman Boris Vishnevsky. It was “written by a true patriot of Russia,” famous actor and Honorary Citizen of St. Petersburg Oleg Basilashvili noted in his review when the book was published.
Photo: Veliky Novgorod Mayor Alexander Rozbaum and Duma Speaker Konstantin Somov / Photo by the Veliky Novgorod Duma Press Service
Yabloko Deputy Chair and Veliky Novgorod Duma deputy Anna Cherepanova is demanding that the Public Prosecutor General’s Office investigate the legality of a twofold salary increase for Veliky Novgorod Mayor Alexander Rozbaum and city officials. A corresponding statement has already been sent to the supervisory authority.
On 25 November, the Yabloko party’s central office in Moscow will host a lecture by Sergei Popov, astrophysicist and Professor of the Russian Academy of Sciences: “Why do we need astronomy?”. The audience will be able not only to receive a detailed answer to the lecture’s key question, but also to participate in discussion.
Photo: Yabloko Chairman Nikolai Rybakov at Yabloko’s seventh Charity Auction in support of political prisoners’ families / Photo by the Yabloko Press Service
On Thursday, 13 November, Yabloko’s charity Auction in support of political prisoners’ families took place in Moscow. The auction was held both in person and online across Russia. Over almost six hours of bidding, 28 lots were sold: books, paintings, photographs, collectible items, excursions and personal meetings with famous people. The amount collected in one evening was 1,183,000 roubles, however the final results have yet to be tallied, as collection of voluntary donations within the framework of the auction, but outside bidding for lots, continues.
On one hand, constant talk about continuing military aid to Ukraine, but with understanding that their own citizens do not agree with rising taxes and categorically do not wish to personally participate in military action. On the other — justified fear of direct military confrontation with Russia and, as a result, the actual use of Ukraine as a protective buffer and preparation for some “inevitable” war with Moscow in the future. This is the essence of the real European position regarding the Russian-Ukrainian conflict. The question of preserving people’s lives and the future does not greatly trouble current European leadership. But preserving themselves and their parties in power, and redivision of markets and spheres of influence are quite real interests of leading European politicians. All this at the expense of continuing military action. Therefore, it is unsurprising that even Volodimir Zelensky recently suddenly declared that he “had not seen a European plan” to end the war.
Yabloko party Chairman Nikolai Rybakov has sent an appeal to St.Petersburg Governor Alexander Beglov demanding the installation of a memorial plaque at the site of the murder of St.Petersburg musician and anti-fascist Timur Kacharava, killed by neo-Nazis 20 years ago at the entrance to the central bookshop of the Bukvoed chain on Ligovsky Prospekt on 13 November 2005.
Photo: Marina Zheleznyakova / Photo from personal archive
Primorsky Regional Court in Vladivostok concluded on 12 November consideration of the case on “rehabilitation of Nazism” against Marina Zheleznyakova, Deputy Chair of the party’s regional branch in the Maritime Territory. The jury found her guilty of posting a message with a personal opinion and historical facts on Telegram in 2021. For this, the court imposed on Zheleznyakova a fine of two million roubles with instalments over 40 months. Yabloko categorically disagrees with the court’s decision, and the accusation of Zheleznyakova of “rehabilitation of Nazism” is absurd and inflated from historical facts that until recently could be found in school textbooks, party Chairman Nikolai Rybakov stated. Lawyer Sergei Valiulin, defending Zheleznyakova, intends to appeal the decision.
Photo: Russian President Vladimir Putin conducts an operational meeting with permanent members of the Russian Federation Security Council on 5 November 2025 / Photo by Gavriil Grigorov, RIA Novosti
The results of the recent meeting of the Russian Security Council, at which Vladimir Putin instructed the government to prepare proposals for the possible start of nuclear weapons testing in response to US President Donald Trump’s statements of 29 October about resuming nuclear tests, provoked wide resonance and many questions. Yuri Paniev, Executive Editor of the NG-Dipkurier paper, turned to Academician of the Russian Academy of Sciences and head of the IMEMO RAS Centre for International Security Alexei Arbatov for clarification. Academician Arbatov is a member of the Yabloko party Federal Political Committee.
Yabloko party Chairman Nikolai Rybakov, in an interview with the largest Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera, spoke about Russians’ fatigue with military actions, the possibility of escalation, the return of Stalinism, and Yabloko’s possible participation in the State Duma elections.
The Yabloko party announces with deep regret the death of Olga Vadimovna Shnyrova, human rights defender, educator, director of the Ivanovo Centre for Gender Studies, and head of Yabloko’s local branch in Frunzensky District of Ivanovo.
Photo: Valery Borshchev was buried at Nikolo-Arkhangelsky Cemetery in Moscow / Photo by the Yabloko Press Service
On Sunday, 9 November, Moscow held the funeral of one of the most outstanding human rights defenders — of both contemporary Russia and the Soviet era — Valery Vasilyevich Borshchev. He passed away on 3 November at the age of 82 after a prolonged illness — at home, surrounded by family, principally preferring freedom to hospital walls. It was precisely “freedom,” as well as “faith,” “dignity,” “responsiveness,” “heroism” and “courage” that resounded on Sunday in tributes to the deceased. For many who came to bid him farewell, Valery Borshchev turned out to be not simply a friend, like-minded person, colleague or teacher, but literally a symbol of several eras and the main values that define life.
Photo: Valery Borshchev at his home / Photo by the Yabloko Press Service
On 3 November, Valery Vasilyevich Borshchev, Soviet dissident, Russian human rights defender, one of the founders of the Yabloko party and leader of its human rights faction, passed away. Yabloko Federal Political Committee Chairman Grigory Yavlinsky expressed condolences in connection with Borshchev’s passing:
Valery Vasilyevich Borshchev has been our loyal and sincere friend, our moral compass, an impeccably honest and decent person. A founder of our party and its organiser from day one. He will remain with us forever.
On 3 November 2025, Valery Borshchev, member of the Yabloko Federal Political Committee, leader of the Human Rights Faction, and co-chairman of the Moscow Helsinki Group, passed away at the age of 82, after a prolonged illness.
Soviet dissident and Russian politician, human rights defender and journalist, symbol of freedom and human dignity — this was and will forever remain Valery Vasilyevich Borshchev. He was friends with Academician Andrei Sakharov and stood at the origins of Russia’s oldest human rights organization — the Moscow Helsinki Group (MHG). He participated in negotiations with militants in Chechnya, striving to stop military action and save people. He represented Yabloko in the State Duma, devoting enormous attention to protecting the rights of prisoners and problems of the penitentiary system.
Decision by the Yabloko Federal Bureau adopted on 14.10.2025, published on 31.10.2025
Photo by RIA Novosti, Taras Litvinenko
At parliamentary hearings on the draft budget for 2026 and the planning period 2027–2028, Federation Council Chairwoman Valentina Matvienko proposed collecting fees to the Compulsory Medical Insurance Fund from non-working able-bodied citizens in the amount of 45,000 roubles per year.
Photo: Maxim Kruglov spoke at the hearing via video link from Butyrka remand prison / Photo by the Moscow City Court Press Service
Yabloko Deputy Chairman Maxim Kruglov will remain in a remand prison until 29 November. Such was the ruling of the Moscow City Court on 30 October, after considering an appeal against the politician’s arrest. The defence — Kruglov is represented in court by lawyers Natalia Tikhonova and Sergei Badamshin — pointed to the “negligence” of Moscow’s Zamoskvoretsky Court and an unacceptable number of errors in its ruling on arrest.
