Georgia's breakaway region elects new leader

Presidential candidate Anatoly Bibilov with his grandson Ignat casts his ballot during presidential elections in Tskhinvali in Georgia's breakaway province of South Ossetia, Sunday, April 9, 2017. Voters in Georgia's breakaway region of South Ossetia are electing a president and deciding on a referendum on whether to add the word Alania to the region's name, which critics say would be a step toward incorporating South Ossetia into Russia. (AP Photo/Anton Podgaiko) (The Associated Press)

Leonid Tibilov, the leader of Georgia's breakaway region of South Ossetia, casts his ballot with his grandson during presidential elections in Tskhinvali in Georgia's breakaway province of South Ossetia, Sunday, April 9, 2017. Voters in Georgia's breakaway region of South Ossetia are electing a president and deciding on a referendum on whether to add the word Alania to the region's name, which critics say would be a step toward incorporating South Ossetia into Russia. (AP Photo/Anton Podgaiko) (The Associated Press)

MOSCOW – Georgia's breakaway province of South Ossetia has elected a new president.

Russian news agencies on Monday quoted local election chief Bella Pliyeva as saying that Anatoly Bibilov, speaker of the local legislature, won nearly 58 percent of the vote while the incumbent got 30 percent. Pliyeva says more than 90 percent of the ballots have been counted by Monday afternoon.

Both candidates campaigned for closer ties with Russia, which is South Ossetia's main economic donor.

The former Soviet republic of Georgia lost control over South Ossetia after a separatist war in 1992-1993. Russia recognized South Ossetia's independence after a five-day war with Georgia in 2008.

Georgia has dismissed Sunday's election as illegal.