A deeply divided Ukraine goes to the polls this weekend in an election race between presidential candidates who have increased the hostile rhetoric since their last fraud-marred election, sparking fears of violence that could split the nation.
Opposition candidate Mr Viktor Yushchenko - whose face still remains badly scarred from a dioxin poisoning this autumn that he blamed on the authorities - has emerged the front-runner.
He has built on the momentum of round-the-clock protests launched by his supporters after his rival, Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych, was declared the winner of the November 21st runoff vote despite widespread allegations of fraud.
The Supreme Court later annulled the results and ordered a revote on December 26th.
The Security Service yesterday denied any involvement in Mr Yushchenko's poisoning, saying in a statement posted on its Web site: "it has no relation with the worsening" of Mr Yushchenko's health.
In an interview last week, Mr Yushchenko said he was probably poisoned at a September 5th dinner with security service chief Mr Ihor Smeshko and his deputy, Mr Volodymyr Satsyuk. Both denied any involvement.
Mr Yushchenko, who recovered enough to return to the campaign trail and lead the mass protests dubbed the "orange revolution," has likened them to the mass movements that swept aside the Berlin Wall and signalled the end of Communism in eastern Europe.
Mr Yanukovych has warned that his opponent cannot win over Ukraine 's densely populated, Russian-speaking east and said a Yushchenko victory would only be acknowledged by part of Ukraine .
But the giant street protests and the annulment of Mr Yanukovych's victory have weakened the prime minister and opinion polls show him likely to lose Sunday's vote.
He has been abandoned by his principal backer, outgoing President Leonid Kuchma, deserted by his top lieutenants and forced to reinvent himself as an opposition figure - in opposition to the government he runs.
The election will be monitored by at least 8,000 observers and will be conducted under recently changed electoral laws tailored to prevent fraud.
Ukraine 's eastern regions have threatened to seek greater autonomy if Mr Yushchenko wins, and the media is awash with rumours that armed pro-Yanukovych bands are poised to flood into Kiev, which strongly supports Mr Yushchenko, after the vote.