Ukrainians voted for a new president on Sunday, choosing between their Russian-backed prime minister and a West-leaning liberal in a tight contest many fear could degenerate into turmoil. Opposition candidate Viktor Yushchenko, who topped the first round in October by less than one percentage point, said cheating by officials to boost Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovich's chances in the run-off was inevitable.
Yanukovich, endorsed by outgoing President Leonid Kuchma, said he counted on the good sense of 37 million voters.
"I believe that the reason and level-headed thinking of Ukrainians will prevail," he said.
The poll in freezing but sunny weather was the culmination of a bruising campaign in which Yushchenko threatened to call supporters into the street if denied victory by mass fraud.
"The scenario by the authorities of winning by cheating is Utopian. It won't work," Yushchenko, accompanied by his wife and five children, said after voting in central Kiev.
Results of an exit poll commissioned by Ukrainian institutes were to be released once polling ended. Turnout, at about 55 percent at 1300 GMT was almost identical to the first round.
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