Russian election officials say an ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin has won the Moscow election for mayor - but opposition leader Alexei Navalny is claiming the results were falsified.

Preliminary election results gave Sergei Sobyanin 51 percent of the vote - even to push him over the 50 percent mark needed to claim victory.

Navalny who received 27 percent of the vote - is refusing to concede defeat.

SOUNDBITE (Russian) Opposition Leader Alexei Navalny, saying:

"We don't recognize these elections. Sobyanin cannot consider himself a mayor of all Muscovites. He should not consider himself a lawfully elected mayor if he doesn't accept our demands and doesn't agree to the recount of the votes."

Aides to Navalny allege authorities increased his rivals returns - by adding people to voter lists and manipulating mobile polling stations designed for people confined to their homes.

Moscow's electoral commission rejected the allegations.