The article examines various approaches to defining the concept of a ‘minor party’ and its characteristics within the current configuration of the party system in the Russian Federation. The author proposes a set of criteria for classifying a political party as a minor party and provides a historical overview of the functioning of minor parties in the Russian Federation’s party system, tracking changes in their number and configuration. Within the broader category of minor political parties, the author suggests a clustering approach based on the historical and genetic features of their emergence. Additionally, the article analyzes the survival and operational strategies of minor parties, as well as their forms of electoral participation. In conclusion, the author argues that minor political parties can become long-term and, in their own way, effective political projects, provided they achieve localized successes within their niche segments of the electoral landscape.