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| Navalny challenges Sobyanin as Moscow mayor vote begins | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| People in the Russian capital Moscow are voting in the first mayoral election in nearly a decade. | |
| Current mayor Sergei Sobyanin, the Kremlin's candidate, is being challenged by Alexei Navalny, leader of the national protest movement. | Current mayor Sergei Sobyanin, the Kremlin's candidate, is being challenged by Alexei Navalny, leader of the national protest movement. |
| Mr Navalny is currently on bail after being found guilty of embezzlement in what he insists was a political trial. | Mr Navalny is currently on bail after being found guilty of embezzlement in what he insists was a political trial. |
| Mayoral elections were abolished in 2004 but re-instated as a concession to pro-democracy campaigners. | Mayoral elections were abolished in 2004 but re-instated as a concession to pro-democracy campaigners. |
| Mr Navalny has run a Western-style campaign, holding informal meetings with voters outside metro stations, and using glossy posters of himself with his family. | Mr Navalny has run a Western-style campaign, holding informal meetings with voters outside metro stations, and using glossy posters of himself with his family. |
| He is credited with bringing grassroots politics to the Russian capital, inspiring thousands of volunteers to support his campaign. | He is credited with bringing grassroots politics to the Russian capital, inspiring thousands of volunteers to support his campaign. |
| The BBC's Daniel Sandford in Moscow says that if Mr Navalny forces the vote to go to a second round it will be a major setback for the Kremlin. | The BBC's Daniel Sandford in Moscow says that if Mr Navalny forces the vote to go to a second round it will be a major setback for the Kremlin. |
| Mr Sobyanin became mayor in 2010 after Yuri Luzhkov, who governed the city for almost two decades, was forced out of office. | Mr Sobyanin became mayor in 2010 after Yuri Luzhkov, who governed the city for almost two decades, was forced out of office. |
| Mr Sobyanin has had a low profile during the race, shunning debates with the five other candidates. | Mr Sobyanin has had a low profile during the race, shunning debates with the five other candidates. |
| In late 2011, Moscow was the scene of the biggest anti-government protests since Soviet times, after a general election marred by allegations of ballot-rigging. | In late 2011, Moscow was the scene of the biggest anti-government protests since Soviet times, after a general election marred by allegations of ballot-rigging. |
| Analysts say much depends on how free and fair the mayoral vote is seen to be. | Analysts say much depends on how free and fair the mayoral vote is seen to be. |
| Polls opened at 08:00 local time (04:00 GMT) and will close at 20:00. |