Polls close in Ukraine election

A voter in Gvozdov, south of Kiev. A run-off election is likely

Polling has ended in the Ukrainian presidential election, following a bitterly fought campaign.

Premier Viktor Yanukovych, backed by outgoing President Leonid Kuchma, and pro-Western opposition leader Viktor Yushchenko, are the frontrunners.

Early exit polls said Mr Yanukovych had won most support but not enough to avoid a run-off on 21 November.

Foreign observers said there had been "numerous, serious irregularities" in the voting.

The campaign was also marked by claims of dirty tricks and media bias.

Monday announcement

Polling for the 37m voters closed at 2000 local time (1800 GMT) on Sunday. There were 20 candidates contesting the election.

The Central Electoral Commission was predicting a turnout of up to 80%.

We can win today without any revolutions Viktor Yushchenko

The Itar-Tass news agency quoted two exit polls that gave Mr Yanukovych about 42% of the vote with Mr Yushchenko about two or three points behind.

The formal announcement of the winner will not be made until Monday morning.

Casting his vote, Mr Yanukovych said the outgoing government had a good record in improving livelihoods.

"This means above all social benefits and salary levels. I see no reason for Ukrainians to be worried," he said.

Mr Yushchenko, who advocates closer ties with the West, said: "I want to live in a proper country where people respect honest leaders and do not fear them... where there is rule of law and an honest legal system."

Symbolic struggle

The BBC's Steven Eke in Kiev, says long queues formed at some of the more than 30,000 polling stations nationwide.

Some regions experienced problems with computer systems and out-of-date electoral registers, but the situation remained calm and there were no reports of violence.

Yanukovych, right, is backed by both Kuchma and Putin

However, the co-head of the European Network of Election Monitoring Organisations, Edil Baisalov, said voting was hampered by irregularities.

"Observers have found repeated instances of voters being turned away because their names didn't appear on voting lists, controlled voting by bussing voters to polls and serious pressure on students by school administrators," Mr Baisalov said.

Election day brought strong opinions on either side.

"I voted for Yushchenko. We need honesty," one woman pensioner in Kiev told Reuters.

But in the coal mining city of Donetsk, 80-year-old Nina Bogatyreva said: "I voted for Yanukovych. I want nothing to do with America."

Correspondents say the election is being seen as a symbolic struggle for the direction of the country - towards the West or towards Russia.

Groups allied to the opposition have accused the government of running biased media coverage and suspected the government might try to rig the vote.

Mr Yushchenko alleged in September he had been deliberately poisoned.

The elections is being closely watched by both Russia, which backs Mr Yanukovych, and the US, which has complained about a "deeply disappointing" campaign.