On Monday, the Supreme Court of the Siberian republic of Altai dismissed a lawsuit that contested a contentious municipal reform approved by the regional parliament in June, according to reports from local media and activists.

Prior to the ruling, hundreds of demonstrators gathered outside the courthouse to voice their opposition to the Kremlin-supported reform, which effectively abolishes local governmental structures in rural areas and consolidates power within the regional administration.

Footage shared by activists captured the crowd chanting, “Shame on the judge” and “We are united, we are invincible” after Dmitriy Todoshev, an activist and lawyer involved in the case, announced the court’s decision.

Todoshev expressed his intention to appeal to a higher court, affirming, “Victory will be ours regardless of the outcome. I will continue to fight until the end,” as protesters gifted him with a traditional Altaian hat and belt as a sign of appreciation.

Altai, which is Russia’s least populous ethnic republic, is home to just over 221,500 inhabitants across more than 92,000 square kilometers (approximately 35,521 square miles). The capital city, Gorno-Altaysk, has a population of around 65,000, leaving the majority of residents in rural villages who are directly affected by the reform.

A protest against the reform in Gorno-Altaysk in June drew around 4,000 people, marking a rare public expression of discontent toward the government amidst an increasing crackdown on dissent since the invasion of Ukraine in 2022.