In a hard‑won battle for his life and his party, Russia’s prominent anti‑war politician Lev Shlosberg was given a 11‑year sentence in Pskov.

The 63‑year‑old activist of the liberal Yabloko party was convicted of “discrediting the armed forces” and “spreading false information” about the Russian military—charges that echo harsher accusations against opposition activists in recent years.

In a rush of justice just minutes before the Supreme Court denied Yabloko’s appeal to contest the forthcoming parliamentary election, the court found Shlosberg guilty of public actions intended to weaken the army. His defense team described the proceedings as an “imitation of an investigation” with an “obviously illegal goal.”

During his closing statement, Shlosberg barred the abolition of his freedom as a punishment for his political, public and civil positions, and called for a ceasefire and a political dialogue to end the Ukraine war. The judge was quick to interject, nudging the debate back toward an increasingly controlled narrative.

Yabloko’s downfall was fuelled by a Supreme Court ruling that banned the party from ballots, citing support of an extremist “international LGBT movement.” A lawsuit by party Rodina also alleged copyright infringement, claims the opposition refutes.

For Yabloko, the only registered party to openly oppose the full‑scale invasion launched in 2022, the reduction of political space has struck a blow to Russia’s domestic dissent. All other parties participating in the 18‑20 September election parade the war in Ukraine, reflecting the regime’s tight control over parliamentary politics.

Despite a recent dip in polls—United Russia’s share slipped to 32.1% earlier this month—the Kremlin still has the resources to shape the election’s outcome. Independent election observers have been stripped of their living‑room space and given limited power to challenge mis‑reporting.

Shlosberg’s sentence illustrates how dissent is repressed by combining wartime censorship with harsh legal measures, turning the conflict into a tool for domestic control.