Tymoshenko´s camp alleges fraud and has offered a ´parallel count´ late on Sunday that showed her edging out her opponent. The margin in the official results made it likely that Tymoshenko would mount a legal challenge.

On Monday, early results of Sunday´s poll in Ukraine were THE top story on morning TV news bulletins and dominated newspaper front pages in Moscow. Many Muscovites welcomed the preliminary result, saying Yanukovich would bring Ukraine closer to Russia again.