Russia Local elections

Local elections across Russia on Sunday may have been marred by fraud, according to observers. While some 30 million people were eligible to vote in the mayoral, regional and district council elections, many who turned up found that votes had already been cast in their names. Opposition parties have said they were refused registration to take part in some of the voting which took place in all regions, including troubled Chechnya and Ingushetia. But Russia's Central Election Commission has claimed the elections were valid, with a high turnout. Concerns over the polling led to opposition leaders calling on voters to boycott the elections.