Lev Shlosberg, a 63‑year‑old leader of the liberal Yabloko party, was sentenced on Monday by a court in Pskov to 11 years and one month in a penal colony for "discrediting" the Russian armed forces and "spreading false information" about them. Shlosberg said the verdict punished him for his political, public and civil position and described the trial as an imitation of an investigation aimed at achieving an illegal goal. The court found him guilty of "public actions aimed at discrediting the use of the armed forces of the Russian Federation." The prosecution had requested a sentence of 12 years and one month. Yabloko, the only registered party that opposed Russia's full‑scale invasion of Ukraine beginning in 2022, said it would appeal the sentence. Minutes before the appeal was rejected, Russia's Supreme Court barred Yabloko from participating in the September parliamentary elections. Since the invasion, dissent has been constrained by wartime censorship laws that allow heavy fines or long prison terms for public opposition. The Pskov court's ruling follows earlier actions that removed Yabloko from ballots over accusations that the party supported the "international LGBT movement," which Russian courts have designated as extremist, and over alleged copyright infringement by the nationalist party Rodina. All ten other parties contesting the September 18‑20 election have expressed support for the war in Ukraine. Polls showed United Russia's support slipping to 32.1% earlier this month, the lowest level since May, according to the state‑run pollster VCIOM, though the Kremlin is widely believed to have the capacity to secure its desired election outcome. Independent election watchdogs report limited ability to monitor or challenge the process. The case highlights the tightening restrictions on political dissent as Russia prepares for parliamentary elections, leaving the extent of opposition influence uncertain.