Opposition leader Viktor Yushchenko has won Ukraine's presidency after a historic election in which he vowed to steer the republic on a new course toward the West and away from Russia.
'It has happened,' he told reporters at his campaign headquarters.
'For 14 years we have been independent, but now we are free,' the former prime minister said.
Mr Yushchenko held a nine-point lead over Viktor Yanukovich according to results from more than 96% of polling precincts, according to the central election commission.
The opposition leader had received 52.62% of the vote compared with Mr Yanukovich's 43.6%, a difference of some 2.5m votes on turnout of 77.22%.
The historic rerun election was set after an earlier runoff in November was thrown out by the supreme court due to widespread fraud.
Sustained widespread protests had followed the earlier result.
