Astrakhan court refuses to annul mayoral elections

An Astrakhan court has refused to annul this year's mayoral elections in the city, Russian media report on Thursday.

The legal action was started by Oleg Shein, an opposition candidate, who reportedly won the elections, even though the local electoral commission declared the pro-Kremlin candidate to be the new mayor of Astrakhan.
 
Shein says he will apply to the European Court of Human Rights.