GUBERNATORIAL ELECTION INVALID IN KRASNODAR, COMMUNIST LEADS IN STAVROPOL.

Elections for governor were held in six Russian regions yesterday. Though final results are not yet in, the voting in the economically and strategically important Krasnodar krai in southern Russia has already been declared invalid. This means that hawkish incumbent Nikolai Yegorov, who until June was President Yeltsin’s chief of staff, will remain in office until a repeat election is organized in three months’ time. Krasnodar is unusual since its election law mandates a turnout of 50 percent for the election to be valid — only 43 percent of the electorate went to the polls yesterday. (Most regions require a more attainable 25 percent.) Last week, Yegorov caused a stir when he gave an interview saying Yeltsin was too sick to run the country and should stand down to allow fresh presidential elections. A gubernatorial election was also held yesterday in Stavropol krai, which, like Krasnodar, has traditionally been considered part of Russia’s "red belt." There, preliminary results put the communist candidate in the lead. (Itar-Tass, October 28) Regional elections began in Russia on September 1 and will continue until the beginning of next year.

Tatarstan and Moscow on Collision Course.