"The claims seeking to annul the registration of the federal list of candidates for the State Duma of the ninth convocation, nominated by the Yabloko political party, were granted," judge Vyacheslav Kirillov said. Addressing them after the hearing, Yabloko leader Nikolay Rybakov said the party would appeal the decision. With most of President Vladimir Putin's opponents jailed, exiled or dead, Yabloko is the only liberal party still operating in Russia. With the Kremlin tightening its control over elections, Yabloko has failed to win seats in the State Duma since 2003. Since then, every parliamentary vote has been won by the ruling United Russia party, which backs Putin.