Ukrainian comedian and presidential candidate Volodymyr Zelenskiy, holds his ballot before voting at a polling station, during the presidential elections in Kiev, Ukraine. Photo: APA comedian with no political experience was the top vote-getter in Ukraine's presidential election on Sunday, an exit poll predicted, but said he fell well short of the absolute majority needed to win outright in the first round. The poll said incumbent President Petro Poroshenko was in a distant second place, closely followed by former Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko. Speaking at a polling station Sunday, the president echoed his campaign promises of taking Ukraine into the EU and NATO. Many political observers have described the presidential election as a battle between Poroshenko and Kolomoyskyi.

Source: Otago Daily Times March 31, 2019 17:37 UTC