Ukraine declares Kremlin ally as president

UKRAINE: Ukraine's election authorities ignored huge street protests in the capital Kiev and last night confirmed results from…

UKRAINE: Ukraine's election authorities ignored huge street protests in the capital Kiev and last night confirmed results from Sunday's disputed vote and named the prime minister, Mr Viktor Yanukovich, as winner of the presidential race, reports Chris Stephen in Kiev

His challenger, Mr Viktor Yushchenko, immediately denounced the result, branding it illegal, and called for the opposition to hold a nationwide general strike.

The government has ruled out fresh elections, though Mr Yanukovich unexpectedly delayed his acceptance of the office, saying he first wanted to make sure the election was free and fair.

The announcement that Mr Yanukovich won 49 per cent of Sunday's vote, with Mr Yushchenko gaining 46 per cent, appeared to show that the government was not backing down despite international condemnation for an election criticised by independent monitors as rigged.

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"We do not recognise the election as officially declared," Mr Yushchenko told supporters in a thick snowstorm in Kiev's Independence Square. He repeated warnings of the day before that the country was "on the brink of civil conflict".

The election result came after the failure of talks between Mr Yushchenko and government officials, after he suggested as a compromise holding fresh elections, albeit under tighter supervision.

News that the government intended to stick to its guns darkened what had been a carnival-like mood among the demonstrators. "It's obvious what is going on, ex-criminals are running this show," said Irina, a student.

"This is not about Yushchenko and Yanukovich any more," said Anastasia, a computer programmer. "It's not even about elections any more. It is about whether this country can be a democracy and whether it becomes a part of Europe or becomes a slave to Russia."

Both government and opposition appear to be set on a collision course, with each insisting they will not compromise, the government insisting the election results stand and the opposition insisting they are fraudulent.

Last night both sides were massing their forces. More than 200,000 demonstrated in the capital for a third straight day, forming a vast column that marched in a loop around the city centre.

Demonstrations were also held in the western cities of Lviv and Odessa, where authorities have already declared they will recognise only Mr Yushchenko as president, and, more surprisingly, in Kharkov, an eastern city thought to have been a government stronghold. More than 50,000 people took to the streets in Kharkov in support of Mr Yushchenko and the city authorities said they were going over to the opposition.

The government also built up its strength, reinforcing elite interior ministry troops based around the presidency building the day after confrontations between police and demonstrators.

A convoy of 40 buses spent the day moving around the city, transporting miners and so-called "volunteers" whom opposition leaders believe are being readied to attack the pro-democracy protests.

Nicknamed "Donetski" after their home town in the pro-government east of the country, they had earlier made a camp in a city-centre park near the opposition's Independence Square demonstration. The camp was later abandoned, but the convoy of buses was later sighted near a police base in the city outskirts.

Mr Olexander Moroz, Socialist Party leader, has urged further talks for today between the two sides, saying the best solution was fresh elections.

The streets of the capital were packed yesterday with opposition supporters in orange apparel.

Walking alone among them, with a blue-and-white scarf of the government was Andrei, a 25- year-old fitness instructor. He supported the government because he had a personal axe to grind with Mr Yushchenko.

"I don't like Yushchenko, he is not clean, you know, he did some bad business. I tell you why I hate Yushchenko. When he was prime minister before, they closed down my gym."