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Ukraine votes in key parliamentary election Ukraine parliamentary polls close
(about 9 hours later)
Ukrainians are voting in a parliamentary election Western officials are billing as a litmus test of its democratic credentials. Ukrainians have cast their votes in a parliamentary election seen as a vital test of the country's democracy.
Polls opened at 08:00 (06:00 GMT) and pit a main opposition grouping against President Viktor Yanukovych's Party of Regions. Partial exit polls suggest President Viktor Yanukovych's Party of Regions gained the most votes, but opposition parties did better than expected.
Mr Yanukovych has been criticised in the West for the jailing of his main rival, former PM Yulia Tymoshenko. Western governments have criticised Mr Yanukovych over the jailing of opposition leader Yulia Tymoshenko.
A number of smaller parties are aiming to capitalise on disillusionment. Officials said the election had passed off smoothly, and just over 40% had voted, about average for Ukraine.
These include the liberal Udar party of boxing champion Vitali Klitschko - known as Dr Ironfist - and the far-right Svoboda (Freedom) party. Ukrainians were voting for 450 MPs, half of whom are selected from party lists, and the other half from single-seat constituencies.
After casting his vote in the capital, Kiev, Mr Klitschko said he was in a combative mood and "going to parliament to fight". Thousands of observers
And he listed "five key punches that we need to land in the Ukrainian parliament" - corruption, indifference of the authorities, lack of local governance, inequality and poverty. Exit polls based only on party-list voting showed the Party of the Regions winning 28%, followed by Ms Tymoshenko's United Opposition Fatherland on 24.7%.
President Yanukovych said he had voted for "stability and the country's economic development, for our people to live better". The other main parties were the far-right Freedom party (12.5%), the Communists (12.5%) and the anti-corruption Udar party (15.4%) of boxing champion Vitali Klitschko.
"I believe that this election will move Ukraine towards unity," Mr Yanukovych said. Overall, the exit polls suggested Mr Yanukovych's party and its allies would be returned with a slimmer parliamentary majority.
Polls are to stay open for 12 hours and while some counts will come in very quickly, a final result is expected on Monday. The final official result is expected on Monday.
Half of the seats in the 450-member parliament will be filled by elected parties on a candidate list basis. During voting, Mr Yanukovych said he had cast his ballot for "stability and economic development".
The other half will be filled by individual candidates voted in on a first-past-the-post system. "I believe that this election will move Ukraine towards unity," he said.
Some 5,000 candidates are standing for election. After casting his vote in the capital, Kiev, Mr Klitschko said he was "going to parliament to fight".
The BBC's David Stern in Kiev says these are some of the most closely watched elections in Ukraine's history, with 3,500 accredited foreign observers, including more than 600 from the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE). He listed his "five key punches" as corruption, indifference of the authorities, lack of local governance, inequality and poverty.
Ms Tymoshenko voted from her jail cell, where she is serving a seven-year sentence for abuse of power.
The BBC's David Stern in Kiev says these are some of the most closely watched elections in Ukraine's history.
There are 3,500 accredited foreign observers, including more than 600 from the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe, says our correspondent.
Campaigning concernsCampaigning concerns
Western officials have voiced concerns over campaigning. Earlier, Western officials expressed concerns over campaigning.
In a New York Times editorial this week, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton cited "worrying trends" in the interim election report from the OSCE (of which Ukraine is due to take over the rotating chair in January). In a New York Times editorial, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton cited "worrying trends" in the interim election report from the OSCE (of which Ukraine is due to take over the rotating chair in January).
These included government resources being used to favour ruling party candidates, media restrictions, vote-buying and lack of transparency on the electoral commissions. These included government resources being used to favour ruling-party candidates, media restrictions, vote-buying and lack of transparency on the electoral commissions.
Critics claim Ms Tymoshenko was prosecuted and imprisoned last year in order to prevent her running in the election. The jailing of Ms Tymoshenko has severely strained relations with the West.
She is serving a seven-year prison sentence after being charged with overstepping her powers as prime minister four years ago when she signed a gas deal with Russia. Opposition supporters say Ms Tymoshenko was prosecuted and imprisoned last year in order to prevent her running in the election.
The EU indefinitely postponed its association agreement, including a free trade pact, after the jailing.The EU indefinitely postponed its association agreement, including a free trade pact, after the jailing.
Ms Tymoshenko's Fatherland party has joined with other opposition parties to form a united front. Mr Yanukovych, who has been president for three years and faces re-election in 2015, has rejected calls to free his rival.
Mr Yanukovych - who has been president for three years and faces re-election in 2015 - has rejected calls to free his rival, maintaining that she was sentenced by an independent court. He says she was sentenced by an independent court.
He insists European integration is one of his government's main goals and will hope his pro-business party can hold on to the parliamentary majority it enjoys.He insists European integration is one of his government's main goals and will hope his pro-business party can hold on to the parliamentary majority it enjoys.
Ukraine's 46m-strong population has been hit by the global economic downturn and unpopular pension and tax policies. Ukraine, with a population of 46 million, has been hit by the global economic downturn and unpopular pension and tax policies.
My Yanukovych's Party of Regions recently attempted to assuage public opinion by boosting public sector salaries and pensions - although this also exacerbated a $2bn (£1.25bn) budget deficit and called into question the likelihood of securing IMF lending, correspondents say. The Party of Regions recently attempted to assuage public opinion by boosting public-sector salaries and pensions.
But the reforms exacerbated a $2bn (£1.25bn) budget deficit and called into question the likelihood of securing IMF lending, correspondents say.
Ukrainian authorities hope a good assessment by 3,500 international election observers will reopen the door to the association agreement.Ukrainian authorities hope a good assessment by 3,500 international election observers will reopen the door to the association agreement.
Mr Klitschko's popularity has grown because of his opposition to Mr Yanukovych and because, as a newcomer, he is so far untainted by Ukraine's corrosive politics which, correspondents say, are blighted by corruption and cronyism.
Svoboda's strong anti-government stance and its passionate defence of Ukraine's culture and language has also gained support, although the party is also known for racist and anti-Semitic statements.