Preliminary election results for the Moscow city council show candidates supported by Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny won almost half the vote.
The count of 99 percent of the ballots showed that 20 candidates supported by Navalny got seats in the 45-member legislature.
The elections for the Moscow City Duma have grabbed the nation’s attention after a dozen independent candidates were taken off the ballot, which triggered a wave of anti-government protests this summer.
After the candidates were barred, Navalny called on his supporters to vote for a list of candidates who are not affiliated with the ruling United Russia party.
