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Kremlin rival declares win in S. Ossetia

TSKHINVALI, Georgia, Nov. 30 (UPI) -- The former education minister in Georgia's breakaway republic of South Ossetia said she won a presidential contest despite a court annulment.

Kremlin-backed Emergency Minister Anatoly Bibilov squared off against former Education Minister Alla Dzhioyeva in a runoff election during the weekend.

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A high court in the breakaway republic annulled the election, however, claiming there were violations committed by Dzhioyeva's supporters.

Nevertheless, she declared herself president and vowed to set up a 10-member governing council to serve as an interim administration.

"The council will operate until a legitimate government is formed," her office was quoted by Russia's state-run news RIA Novosti as saying.

Both candidates claimed victory in the second round of voting, though no official results were declared.

Russia went to war with Georgia in 2008 over South Ossetia and Abkhazia, another breakaway republic. Russia has military installations there. NATO said it doesn't recognize the right of either republic to form a unilateral administration.

Dzhioyeva is accused by her rivals of trying to start a revolution.

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