Rassvet, the party being formed by Yekaterina Duntsova, has again submitted documents to the Russian Justice Ministry after being denied registration in November 2024. As Novaya Gazeta Kazakhstan notes, the chances of official recognition remain slim, even though the group is deliberately operating within the law. This makes Rassvet the second openly active organization in Russia after Yabloko to promote an anti-war and democratic agenda.
Duntsova, a 40-year-old journalist, former member of the Rzhev city council, and mother of three, announced in November 2023 that she would run for president on a platform of democratization and ending the war against Ukraine, but she was barred from the election in December. She then turned to building a party. Activists have applied to hold pickets against internet restrictions, organized lectures on alternative civilian service, letter-writing evenings for political prisoners, aid drives for people affected in the Kursk region, and taken part in urban preservation and environmental campaigns.
According to Duntsova, the party has about 500 registered members and several thousand active supporters. She said it has been difficult to convince people that participation is safe, with many unwilling to provide even basic personal details. Duntsova herself and her deputy Aleksei Komelev have been designated “foreign agents,” while some activists have faced detentions and criminal prosecution.
“We are not violating anything and are not calling for any unlawful actions,” Duntsova said, adding that registration would be “a miracle.”
She also said the party plans to prepare for elections and support candidates with similar views despite its limited room for action. Komelev said a possible “window of opportunity” for registration could open either after a peace agreement with Ukraine or after the 2026 elections. Political analyst Alexander Kynev was more skeptical, pointing to declining public interest in Duntsova, while Boris Nadezhdin and Dmitry Gudkov described Rassvet’s activity as useful.