Armed assault on Russian election chief: Police

The head of Russia's centralelectioncommittee wasattackedat night by a masked assailant who climbed into her house and hit her with a taser,Russianpolice said Friday.

The attack on 65-year-old Ella Pamfilova, at around 1:30 am (Thursday 2330 GMT) cameaheadof contentious regionalelectionson Sunday, which have prompted large protests in Moscow.

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Police described the attack in a village outside Moscow as "armed assault," saying the offender "entered the house's conservatory via a window and hit the owner with an electric shocker several times, after which he fled".

Pamfilova on Friday took part in a press conference and television footage did not show any visible injuries. She told journalists that she is ok. "I'll survive," she was quoted as saying by Interfax.

Police have launched a probe into the attack.

State media immediately speculated that the attack could be foul play related toelectionsfor Moscow city parliament, criticised by the opposition after authorities barred most independent candidates from standing.

"What was it, a robbery or carrying out of an order to disrupt theelection?" asked state-controlled Rossiya 24 channel.

Meanwhile, top opposition leader Alexei Navalny claimed that the attack was "fake".

Electoral officials including Pamfilova have backed the decision to bar opposition candidates, saying the signatures of supporters they gathered to run were invalid.

This led to the biggest political crisis in years, with large protests gathering in the capital since July to demand that the opposition be allowed to run.

Following mass detentions, several people have been sentenced to long prison terms for attacking police during the rallies.

"I hope the culprits are found quickly," wrote one of the rejected opposition candidates, Lyubov Sobol.

"Pamfilova should certainly be put on trial forelectionfalsifications. But I'm against extrajudicial punishment."