Opposition leader Viktor Yanukovich has claimed victory in Ukraine's presidential elections and told his bitter rival Yulia Tymoshenko to resign as prime minister, but she refused to concede and declared she was ahead.
Mr Yanukovich, 59, an ex-mechanic who wants better ties with Moscow, promised quick reforms to overcome Ukraine's deep economic crisis after exit polls and initial results gave him a lead of several points over Ms Tymoshenko.
Preliminary official results, with just over 16% counted, gave Mr Yanukovich 51.86% against 42.80% for longtime rival Ms Tymoshenko. Exit polls but him 3-4 points ahead.
But presaging a possible messy legal challenge, Ms Tymoshenko's campaign chief said her camp was conducting a 'parallel count' that gave her the lead with 46.8% to 46.0% for Mr Yanukovich with 85% of votes counted.
Ms Tymoshenko was the co-architect of Ukraine's 2004 Orange Revolution, when mass street protests overturned an initial Yanukovich election victory tainted by fraud.
