World News Ukraine in election turmoil

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KIEV (AP) - Election officials declared Nov. 24 that the Kremlin-backed prime minister, Viktor Yanukovych, won former Soviet bloc Ukraine's disputed presidential runoff balloting.

The announcement prompted opposition leader Viktor Yushchenko to call for a nationwide strike to protest what he called vote fraud.

The weekend elections have divided the country right down the middle - between the pro-Russian, heavily industrialized eastern half of the country, and the western half, a traditional center of Ukrainian nationalism.

Yanukovych's victory also raised fears of violence in the capital, where tens of thousands of opposition supporters have rallied.

The elections have put strain on relations between Russia and the West. Russian President Vladimir Putin has already congratulated Yanukovych on his victory, and denounced the Ukrainian opposition for its "illegal actions," while Western observers have denounced the election as illegitimate, citing ballot stuffing, voter intimidation and other irregularities.

Official results had Yanukovych with 49.46 percent of the vote and Yushchenko with 46.61 percent.

ウクライナ大統領選で混乱

ウクライナ大統領選決戦投票で選挙管理委員会は11月24日、ビクトル・ヤヌコビッチ首相の当選を発表したが、野党のビクトル・ユシチェンコ候補は選挙結果に不正があるとして、全国規模でのストライキを呼びかけた。

Shukan ST: Dec. 3, 2004

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