Alexei Navalny launches election fraud lawsuits against Sergei Sobyanin

Alexei Navalny has launched hundreds of lawsuits contesting Sergei Sobyanin’s victory in Moscow mayoral election.

Alexei Navalny delivered boxes full of complaints of fraud to Moscow city court, and began filing 951 lawsuits with 36 district courts.

The city court refused his request to stop Sergei Sobyanin’s inauguration on Thursday night.

Alexei Navalny has launched hundreds of lawsuits contesting Sergei Sobyanin’s victory in Moscow mayoral election

The courts could take months to consider the lawsuits.

Sergei Sobyanin, the Kremlin-backed candidate, won 51.3% of Sunday’s vote – just above the 50% threshold needed to avoid a second-round ballot – according to Russian election officials.

Alexei Navalny came second with 27.2%.

He called for a run-off and refused to recognize the results, saying they had been “deliberately falsified”.

Alexei Navalny said the count had been marred by “many serious violations”.