Media playback is unsupported on your device Media caption Volodymyr Zelensky and his supporters celebrate winning Ukraine's presidential election

Ukrainian comedian Volodymyr Zelensky has scored a landslide victory in the country's presidential election.

With nearly all ballots counted in the run-off vote, Mr Zelensky had taken more than 73% with incumbent Petro Poroshenko trailing far behind on 24%.

"I will never let you down," Mr Zelensky told celebrating supporters.

Russia says it wants him to show "sound judgement", "honesty" and "pragmatism" so that relations can improve. Russia backs separatists in eastern Ukraine.

The comments came from Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev, in a Facebook post on Monday (in Russian).

He said he expected Mr Zelensky to "repeat familiar ideological formulas" that he used in the election campaign, adding: "I have no illusions on that score.

"At the same time, there is a chance to improve relations with our country."

Mr Poroshenko, who admitted defeat after the first exit polls were published, has said he will not be leaving politics.

He told voters that Mr Zelensky, 41, was too inexperienced to stand up to Russia effectively.

Mr Zelensky, a political novice, is best known for starring in a satirical television series Servant of the People, in which his character accidentally becomes Ukrainian president.

EPA Volodymyr Zelensky 73%landslide win on 21 April Comedian but trained as a lawyer

Instagram star with 4.2m followers

Millionaire thanks to his production company Kvartal 95

Linked to oligarch Ihor Kolomoisky through show on TV channel 1+1 Source: Ukrainian and international media

He told reporters he would "reboot" peace talks with the separatists fighting Ukrainian forces and volunteers in the east.

"I think that we will have personnel changes. In any case we will continue in the direction of the Minsk [peace] talks and head towards concluding a ceasefire," he said.

There are sporadic skirmishes and the situation also remains tense around Crimea, annexed from Ukraine by Russia in 2014.

Time for the joking to stop

Analysis by Jonah Fisher, BBC News, Kiev

Ukrainians are waking up this morning and discovering that the last few months were not a dream.

They really have elected a man who currently stars in a TV series as the president - as the country's next real president. And it wasn't even close.

The pressure will now be on Mr Zelensky to demonstrate that he knows what he is doing.

Throughout the election campaign, he avoided serious interviews and discussions about policy - preferring instead to post light-hearted videos to social media.

He's got about a month before the inauguration. Then the comedian-turned-president will be faced with a complex in-tray that includes a simmering war with Russian-backed rebels in the east.

Mr Poroshenko, who has been in power since 2014, said the result of the election "leaves us with uncertainty [and] unpredictability".

"I will leave office but I want to firmly stress - I will not quit politics," he said.

Presidential election results. Second round Latest as of 13:50, 30 April, Kiev time (BST +2).

UKRAINE Turnout: 62.09%

Turnout: Votes for each candidate (%): Volodymyr Zelensky: 73.22

Petro Poroshenko: 24.45

Volodymyr Zelensky:Petro Poroshenko: Lviv Turnout: 67.34%

Turnout: Votes for each candidate (%): Petro Poroshenko: 62.79

Volodymyr Zelensky: 34.49

Petro Poroshenko:Volodymyr Zelensky: Transcarpathia Turnout: 46.38%

Turnout: Votes for each candidate (%): Volodymyr Zelensky: 80.67

Petro Poroshenko: 16.69

Volodymyr Zelensky:Petro Poroshenko: Mykolayiv Turnout: 60.66%

Turnout: Votes for each candidate (%): Volodymyr Zelensky: 85.52

Petro Poroshenko: 12.52

Volodymyr Zelensky:Petro Poroshenko: Ivano-Frankivsk Turnout: 59.96%

Turnout: Votes for each candidate (%): Volodymyr Zelensky: 54.58

Petro Poroshenko: 42.46

Volodymyr Zelensky:Petro Poroshenko: Volyn Turnout: 64.25%

Turnout: Votes for each candidate (%): Volodymyr Zelensky: 63.42

Petro Poroshenko: 33.97

Volodymyr Zelensky:Petro Poroshenko: Rivne Turnout: 60.7%

Turnout: Votes for each candidate (%): Volodymyr Zelensky: 60.06

Petro Poroshenko: 37.49

Volodymyr Zelensky:Petro Poroshenko: Ternopil Turnout: 64.05%

Turnout: Votes for each candidate (%): Volodymyr Zelensky: 50.43

Petro Poroshenko: 46.64

Volodymyr Zelensky:Petro Poroshenko: Vinnytsia Turnout: 62.52%

Turnout: Votes for each candidate (%): Volodymyr Zelensky: 62.97

Petro Poroshenko: 34.74

Volodymyr Zelensky:Petro Poroshenko: Dnipropetrovsk Turnout: 65.89%

Turnout: Votes for each candidate (%): Volodymyr Zelensky: 87.25

Petro Poroshenko: 10.81

Volodymyr Zelensky:Petro Poroshenko: Donetsk Turnout: 57.23%

Turnout: Votes for each candidate (%): Volodymyr Zelensky: 86.94

Petro Poroshenko: 10.59

Volodymyr Zelensky:Petro Poroshenko: Zhytomyr Turnout: 61.16%

Turnout: Votes for each candidate (%): Volodymyr Zelensky: 73.62

Petro Poroshenko: 24.23

Volodymyr Zelensky:Petro Poroshenko: Zaporizhzhya Turnout: 64.26%

Turnout: Votes for each candidate (%): Volodymyr Zelensky: 86.55

Petro Poroshenko: 11.51

Volodymyr Zelensky:Petro Poroshenko: Kiev region Turnout: 64.22%

Turnout: Votes for each candidate (%): Volodymyr Zelensky: 70.02

Petro Poroshenko: 27.68

Volodymyr Zelensky:Petro Poroshenko: Kirovohrad Turnout: 60.53%

Turnout: Votes for each candidate (%): Volodymyr Zelensky: 80.47

Petro Poroshenko: 17.51

Volodymyr Zelensky:Petro Poroshenko: Luhansk Turnout: 56.35%

Turnout: Votes for each candidate (%): Volodymyr Zelensky: 89.44

Petro Poroshenko: 8.43

Volodymyr Zelensky:Petro Poroshenko: Odesa Turnout: 58.95%

Turnout: Votes for each candidate (%): Volodymyr Zelensky: 87.21

Petro Poroshenko: 10.6

Volodymyr Zelensky:Petro Poroshenko: Poltava Turnout: 64.9%

Turnout: Votes for each candidate (%): Volodymyr Zelensky: 82.15

Petro Poroshenko: 15.62

Volodymyr Zelensky:Petro Poroshenko: Sumy Turnout: 62.85%

Turnout: Votes for each candidate (%): Volodymyr Zelensky: 82.12

Petro Poroshenko: 15.87

Volodymyr Zelensky:Petro Poroshenko: Kharkiv Turnout: 64.66%

Turnout: Votes for each candidate (%): Volodymyr Zelensky: 86.88

Petro Poroshenko: 11.17

Volodymyr Zelensky:Petro Poroshenko: Kherson Turnout: 57.42%

Turnout: Votes for each candidate (%): Volodymyr Zelensky: 83.02

Petro Poroshenko: 15.05

Volodymyr Zelensky:Petro Poroshenko: Khmelnytsky Turnout: 62.67%

Turnout: Votes for each candidate (%): Volodymyr Zelensky: 70.8

Petro Poroshenko: 26.83

Volodymyr Zelensky:Petro Poroshenko: Cherkasy Turnout: 60.93%

Turnout: Votes for each candidate (%): Volodymyr Zelensky: 77.43

Petro Poroshenko: 20.13

Volodymyr Zelensky:Petro Poroshenko: Chernivtsi Turnout: 54.09%

Turnout: Votes for each candidate (%): Volodymyr Zelensky: 75.87

Petro Poroshenko: 21.64

Volodymyr Zelensky:Petro Poroshenko: Chernihiv Turnout: 62.61%

Turnout: Votes for each candidate (%): Volodymyr Zelensky: 77.8

Petro Poroshenko: 19.99

Volodymyr Zelensky:Petro Poroshenko: Kiev city Turnout: 65.85%

Turnout: Votes for each candidate (%): Volodymyr Zelensky: 60.17

Petro Poroshenko: 36.95

Volodymyr Zelensky:Petro Poroshenko:

Billionaire Mr Poroshenko was elected after an uprising overthrew the country's previous pro-Russian government.

In a tweet, he said "a new inexperienced Ukrainian president... could be quickly returned to Russia's orbit of influence".

Image copyright Getty Images Image caption Petro Poroshenko was elected after an uprising overthrew the previous pro-Russian government

But Russia's foreign ministry said Ukrainian voters had expressed their desire for political change.

"The new leadership now must understand and realise the hopes of its electors," deputy foreign minister Grigory Karasin told the Ria Novosti news agency. "This of course applies to domestic as well as foreign affairs."

What's the reaction been?

French President Emmanuel Macron congratulated Mr Zelensky in a phone call, as did Poland's President Andrzej Duda.

In a tweet, UK Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt said: "You will now truly be the Servant of the People."

The US embassy in Ukraine tweeted its congratulations while European Council President Donald Tusk said the EU was "determined to continue its support" for Ukraine.

Skip Twitter post by @eucopresident A decisive day for Ukraine. Free elections and peaceful change of power = strong Ukrainian democracy. Congratulations to Volodymyr Zelensky. The EU is determined to continue its support. — Donald Tusk (@eucopresident) April 21, 2019 Report

Who is Volodymyr Zelensky?

Mr Zelensky starred in the long-running satirical drama Servant of the People in which his character accidentally becomes Ukraine's president.

He plays a teacher who is elected after his expletive-laden rant about corruption goes viral on social media.

He ran under a political party with the same name as his show.

With no previous political experience, Mr Zelensky's campaign focused on his difference to the other candidates rather than on any concrete policy ideas.

Despite this, he won the first round with more than 30% of the vote - almost double what Mr Poroshenko got when he finished in second place with 15.95%.

What do voters think of him?

Analysts believe Mr Zelensky's informal style and vow to clean up Ukrainian politics resonated with voters who are disillusioned with the country's path under Mr Poroshenko.

Eschewing traditional campaign tactics, Mr Zelensky channelled his on-screen persona by promising to stamp out corruption and loosen the grip of oligarchs on Ukraine.

Experts say his supporters, frustrated with establishment politicians and cronyism, have been energised by his charisma and anti-corruption message.

His critics, meanwhile, are sceptical about his credentials, with many expressing concern over his close links to the billionaire oligarch Ihor Kolomoisky.

They have expressed doubts that he will be able to take on the country's influential oligarchs and stand up to Russian President Vladimir Putin.</s>A comedian whose only political experience consists of playing a president on TV appeared poised to reprise the role in real life when an exit poll showed him winning Ukraine's presidential runoff Sunday in a landslide.

Results from the exit poll after voting stations closed showed Volodymyr Zelenskiy receiving an extraordinary 73.2 per cent — or nearly three out of every four votes cast — to President Petro Poroshenko's 25.3 per cent.

If borne out by election returns, the overwhelming victory by Zelenskiy would stand as a crushing rebuke to Poroshenko's five years in office and a verdict on the country's deep-seated corruption, sickly economy and grinding war against Russian-backed separatists in the country's east that has killed over 13,000 people.

While official returns had yet to be released, Poroshenko accepted defeat, saying: "I am leaving office, but I want to firmly underline that I am not leaving politics."

Zelenskiy, for his part, vowed after the release of the exit polls: "I promise I will never let you down." And he suggested that his apparent victory could be a model for other former Soviet states that want to move forward from ossified politics.

"To all the countries of the former Soviet Union — look at us, everything is possible," he said.

People cast their ballots in Kyiv on Sunday. Millions of people living in the rebel-controlled east and in Russia-annexed Crimea were unable to vote. (Vadim Ghirda/Associated Press)

Although Zelenskiy was criticized for a vague campaign platform and never holding public office, voters appeared to cast aside those concerns in favour of a thorough sweep of Ukraine's political leadership.

"I have grown up under the old politicians and only have seen empty promises, lies and corruption," said Lyudmila Potrebko, a 22-year-old computer programmer who voted for Zelenskiy. "It's time to change that."

Zelenskiy, 41, became famous nationwide for his comic portrayal in a Ukrainian TV series of a high school teacher who becomes president after a video of him denouncing corruption goes viral.

Poroshenko was a billionaire candy magnate and former foreign minister before he took office in 2014 after huge street protests drove his Russia-friendly predecessor to flee the country. Although he instituted some reforms, critics said he had not done nearly enough to curb corruption.

Millions of people living in the rebel-controlled east and in Russia-annexed Crimea were unable to vote. Russia seized Crimea in 2014, and fighting in the east erupted that same year.

'We have grown poor under Poroshenko'

The incumbent campaigned on the same promise he made when he was elected in 2014: to lead the nation of 42 million into the European Union and NATO. However, those goals have been elusive amid Ukraine's many problems. A visa-free deal with the EU led to the exodus of millions of skilled workers for better living conditions elsewhere in Europe.

In a jab at his politically inexperienced rival, the president warned voters that "it could be funny at first, but pain may come later."

Poroshenko emphasized the need to "defend achievements of the past five years," noting the creation of a new Ukrainian Orthodox Church that is independent from Moscow's patriarchate, a schism he championed.

Poroshenko leaves a booth at a polling station in Kyiv on Sunday. Poroshenko's campaign messages fell flat with many voters struggling to survive on meagre wages and pay soaring utility bills. (Efrem Lukatsky/Associated Press)

"Poroshenko has done a lot of good things for the country — creating its own church, getting the visa-free deal and taking Ukraine away from the empire," said 44-year-old businessman Volodymyr Andreichenko, who voted for him.

But Poroshenko's message fell flat with many voters struggling to survive on meagre wages and pay soaring utility bills.

"We have grown poor under Poroshenko and have to save to buy food and clothing," said 55-year-old sales clerk Irina Fakhova. "We have had enough of them getting mired in corruption and filling their pockets and treating us as fools."

Poroshenko has denied any link to an alleged embezzlement scheme involving one of his companies and a top associate.

Like Poroshenko, Zelenskiy pledged to keep Ukraine on its pro-Western course, but said the country should only join NATO if voters give their approval in a referendum. He said his top priority would be direct talks with Russia to end the fighting.

Congratulations to Volodymyr Zelenskiy on the results of the Ukrainian presidential election. I’m looking forward to working with you to continue strengthening the ties between Canada & Ukraine, and creating more opportunities for people in both our countries. 🇨🇦🇺🇦 —@JustinTrudeau

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau congratulated Zelenskiy on Twitter Sunday night, saying he looked forward to strengthening ties between the two countries. He also thanked Canadians who worked as election observers during Ukraine's vote.

Ukraine’s new President, Volodymyr <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Zelensky?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Zelensky</a>, who played <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Ukraine?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Ukraine</a>’s leader in a TV show, arriving at his HQ. Talk about huge expectations ... <a href="https://t.co/xx78sOo9Gb">pic.twitter.com/xx78sOo9Gb</a> —@CBCChrisBrown Zelenskiy's image has been shadowed by his admission that he had commercial interests in Russia through a holding company, and by his business ties to self-exiled billionaire businessman Ihor Kolomoyskyi. Kolomoyskyi owns the TV station that aired the actor's sitcom and his other comedy shows.

"Both candidates stand for integration into Europe, both kneel to honour those killed in the war with Russia, both are linked to oligarchs," 67-year-old teacher Dmytro Volokhovets said with a touch of sarcasm. "But Zelenskiy will win because he's young and new."</s>KIEV (Reuters) - Ukraine entered uncharted political waters on Monday after near final results showed a comedian with no political experience and few detailed policies had dramatically upended the status quo and won the country’s presidential election by a landslide.

Volodymyr Zelenskiy’s win was a bitter blow for incumbent Petro Poroshenko and presents a riddle for investors, the West and Russia who wonder what approach he will take on everything from relations with Moscow to the domestic banking sector.

Zelenskiy, 41, will take leadership of a country on the frontline of the West’s standoff with Russia following Moscow’s annexation of Crimea and its support for a pro-Russian insurgency in eastern Ukraine.

In Sunday’s second-round vote, Poroshenko, 53, had tried to rally voters, casting himself as a bulwark against Russian aggression and a champion of Ukrainian identity.

But Zelenskiy, best known for playing a fictitious president in a TV show, trounced him, winning 73 percent of the vote, central election commission data showed after over 99 percent of votes were counted.

Oleksiy Kondrashov, a public sector utilities worker in Kiev, said the result was not an endorsement of Zelenskiy but a protest vote against Poroshenko whose pledges, such as promising to stamp out corruption, came to nothing.

“Everyone was not voting for Zelenskiy, but against Poroshenko. If someone else had made it to the second round, people would have voted for them instead,” said Kondrashov.

In a victory speech on Sunday night, Zelenskiy promised he would not let people down.

“I’m not yet officially the president, but as a citizen of Ukraine, I can say to all countries in the post-Soviet Union look at us. Anything is possible!” He is expected to take office next month.

‘COMPLETE UNCERTAINTY’

Zelenskiy, the latest anti-establishment figure to unseat an incumbent, both in Europe and further afield, has promised to end the war in the eastern Donbass region and to root out corruption amid widespread dismay over rising prices and sliding living standards. But he has not said exactly how he plans to achieve all that.

Investors want reassurances that he will accelerate reforms needed to attract foreign investment and keep the country in a multi-billion dollar International Monetary Fund program.

“Since there is complete uncertainty about the economic policy of the person who will become president, we simply don’t know what is going to happen and that worries the financial community,” said Serhiy Fursa, an investment banker at Dragon Capital in Kiev.

Parliament calls many of the shots in Ukraine and Zelenskiy could struggle to get lawmakers’ approval for new policies since his own party has no seats and a faction loyal to Poroshenko is the biggest force.

Zelenskiy has the right to propose certain cabinet jobs, like that of foreign minister, but much of the current government is likely to remain in place until the next parliamentary election, which is due in October.

The United States, the European Union and Russia will be closely watching Zelenskiy’s foreign policy pronouncements to see if and how he might try to end the war against pro-Russian separatists that has killed some 13,000 people.

U.S. President Donald Trump phoned Zelenskiy and pledged to support Ukraine’s territorial integrity. German Chancellor Angela Merkel echoed that support for Ukraine’s territorial integrity, saying in a letter she looked forward to hosting Zelenskiy for talks in Berlin soon.

The European Union delivered formal congratulations to Zelenskiy but made clear it expects him to pursue reforms.

Ukrainian presidential candidate Volodymyr Zelenskiy reacts following the announcement of the first exit poll in a presidential election at his campaign headquarters in Kiev, Ukraine April 21, 2019. REUTERS/Valentyn Ogirenko

RUSSIAN RELATIONS

Zelenskiy said on Sunday he planned to continue European-backed talks with Russia on a so-far largely unimplemented peace deal and would try to free Ukrainians imprisoned in Russia, including 24 sailors.

The Kremlin said it was premature to talk of President Vladimir Putin congratulating Zelinskiy or about the possibility of the two leaders working together.

“We’ll be able to judge by concrete deeds,” Dmitry Peskov, Putin’s spokesman, told reporters.

Peskov said Moscow respected the choice of the Ukrainian people, but said there was a question mark over the legitimacy of the election because Kiev did not allow some 3 million Ukrainians living and working in Russia to vote.

Zelenskiy has pledged to keep Ukraine on a pro-Western course while sounding less emphatic than Poroshenko about possible plans for the country of 42 million people to one day join the European Union and NATO.

Critics accuse the president-elect of having an excessively close relationship with powerful oligarch Ihor Kolomoisky, whose TV channel broadcasts his comedy shows.

Zelenskiy has promised not to be unduly influenced by Kolomoisky. But the fate of PrivatBank, Ukraine’s largest lender which was nationalized in 2016, is set to be one of the earliest and most important tests of that pledge.

The government wrested PrivatBank from Kolomoisky as part of a clean-up of the banking system backed by the IMF. However, a Kiev court ruled last week that the change of ownership was illegal.

Zelenskiy has repeatedly denied he would seek to hand PrivatBank back to Kolomoisky if elected, or help the businessman win compensation for the ownership change.

Slideshow (29 Images)

The IMF will also be watching closely to see if Zelenskiy will allow gas prices to rise to market levels. That is a politically sensitive issue and one Zelenskiy has been vague about.

(Election graphic - tmsnrt.rs/2EEQ22R)</s>KIEV (Reuters) - Incumbent Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko on Sunday conceded he had been soundly defeated in a run-off vote by comedian Volodymyr Zelenskiy and would be leaving office next month, but said he did not plan to quit politics altogether.

Ukraine entered uncharted political waters on Sunday after an exit poll showed Zelenskiy, a comedian with no political experience and few detailed policies, had easily won enough votes to become the next president of a country at war.</s>Ukrainian comedian Volodymyr Zelensky won a victory against his rival Petro Poroshenko in the second round of the presidential elections, according to the exit polls.

THE OFFICIAL RESULTS WILL BE ANNOUNCED BY MAY 1

According to the National Exit Poll, Zelensky candidate of the Servant of the People Party secured 73.2% of the votes, whereas Poroshenko got 25.3%. The poll announced that the turnout was at 62%.

Following the announcement of the unofficial results, Zelensky thanked the Ukranians for their support. "We have done it together," he was quoted as saying by Ukrinform news agency.

Poroshenko who congratulated the new president-elect admitted that the results were clear. However, defeated Poroshenko also signaled that he will not retire from politics in a speech at his campaign headquarters.

After the first poll results on March 31, no candidate surpassed the 50-percent threshold, paving way for a second round in the presidential elections.</s>Sitting President Poroshenko has just admitted defeat, but promised that he would not leave politics: his party is preparing for parliamentary elections. And the future president Zelensky is already preparing for the inauguration.

scored 73.7%, Petro Poroshenko – 26.3%. The All-Ukrainian exit poll was conducted by the 112 Ukraine TV channels and NewsOne, the SORA Institute for Social Research and Consultations (Austria), the Social Monitoring Center, the Ukrainian Institute for Social Research. A. Yaremenko.

By 20:00, results of exit polls in Ukraine became known. According to the “Ukrainian exit poll”,

Unlike President Poroshenko, the musician and leader of the Okean Elzy group Svyatoslav Vakarchuk actually came to the polling station in embroidery and stressed that in this election he votes for Ukraine.

Vakarchuk, who had previously announced his intention to return to politics, officially refused to take part in the presidential election. According to him, “in jeans, he can do more for the country than wearing a tie.” Subsequently, he said that he would focus on the October elections to the Verkhovna Rada.

Poroshenko’s block will go to be elected to parliament

Concentrating on parliamentary elections the “Blok of Petro Poroshenko” will push ahead. The head of the BPP faction in the Verkhovna Rada Arthur Gerasimov said that the President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko admitted his defeat. After the first round, in which Vladimir Zelensky won, more and more often the public discussed the possibility of announcing early parliamentary elections if he succeeds in becoming the sixth president of Ukraine.

“The main thing is not to let the hands loose. And the parliament, it is, let them dissolve. It’s not a problem. Every politician should be ready for elections. We’re in power. If we lose today, we’ll be in opposition. This is a normal life. I don’t see big problems here, ”said Verkhovna Rada deputy from the BPP faction, Alexey Goncharenko .</s>COMEDIAN VOLODYMYR ZELENSKY has won a landslide victory in the second round of voting in Ukraine’s presidential election, exit polls show, defeating incumbent leader Petro Poroshenko.

Zelensky, a 41-year-old whose only previous political experience was playing the president on television, took 73 percent of the vote, according to exit polls conducted by several think tanks.

Poroshenko took 25 percent of the vote, losing to the television star across all regions of the country, including in the west where he traditionally enjoyed strong support. The remaining ballots were spoiled.

Zelensky plays a fictional president in the television series Servant of the People and is running as an anti-establishment figure in the elections.

Poroshenko, a billionaire famous for his chocolate-making business Roshen, has been in office since being elected in 2014.

In 2014, Ukraine saw renewed conflict after Russian troops moved in, annexing Crimea, and prompting new sanctions to be introduced by the EU.

It followed public unrest on the Crimean peninsula when president Viktor Yanukovych was ousted and fled to Russia.</s>KIEV - A comedian with no political experience won a landslide victory in Ukraine’s presidential election Sunday, exit polls showed, dealing a stunning rebuke to the country’s political establishment.

Volodymyr Zelensky, whose only previous political role was playing the president on television, trounced incumbent Petro Poroshenko by taking 73% of the vote, according to exit polls conducted by several think tanks.

Poroshenko lost to the television star across all regions of the country, including in the west where he traditionally enjoyed strong support.

It was an extraordinary outcome to a campaign that started as a joke but struck a chord with voters frustrated by poverty, corruption and a five-year war that has claimed some 13,000 lives.

The 41-year-old star of TV series “Servant of the People” will now take the helm of a country of 45 million people beset by challenges and having run on the vaguest of political platforms.

After taking the most votes in last month’s first-round election, Zelensky had enjoyed a strong lead over the 53-year-old Poroshenko going into Sunday’s poll.

Voting earlier in the capital Kiev, the beaming frontrunner had said his campaign managed to bring Ukrainians together.

“We have united Ukraine,” he said, wearing a casual suit with a t-shirt and accompanied by his wife. “Everything will be all right.”

Sparkling wine was on offer at his campaign headquarters as the star’s team prepared to toast his victory on Palm Sunday, a week before Orthodox Easter.

Preliminary results were expected in several hours but the same exit polls were accurate in the first round.

From Ukrainian-speaking regions in the west of the country to Russian-speaking territories in the war-torn east, many voters said they feared uncertainty but yearned for change.

“We’re tired of all the lies,” said Marta Semenyuk, 26, who cast her ballot for the comedian.

“I think it just cannot get any worse and I hope he’ll live up to his promises,” said Larisa, an 18-year-old student from the government-held eastern port city of Mariupol.

Zelensky’s victory opens a new chapter in the history of a country that has gone through two popular uprisings in the last 20 years and is mired in a conflict with Moscow-backed separatists in the east.

His supporters say only a fresh face can clean up Ukraine’s politics and end the separatist conflict.

But others doubt the showman will be able to take on the country’s influential oligarchs, negotiate with the likes of German Chancellor Angela Merkel and stand up to Russia’s Vladimir Putin.

“People have gone mad,” Viktoriya Olomutska, a 39-year-old Poroshenko supporter, said in Kiev. “Cinema and reality are two different things.”

Poroshenko mocked his rival’s lack of political experience and argued he was unfit to be a wartime commander-in-chief.

The outgoing leader came to power after a 2014 pro-Western uprising ousted a Kremlin-backed regime, triggering Moscow’s annexation of Crimea.

His supporters credited him with rebuilding the army and securing an Orthodox Church independent of Russia.

But many feel like the country’s ruling elite have forgotten the promises of the revolution.

“Because this is not funny. Well, at first it can be a bit funny and then it might hurt afterwards,” he said after casting his ballot.

The comic shunned traditional campaign rallies and instead performed comedy gigs and used social media to appeal to voters.

The Ukrainian president has strong powers over the defence, security and foreign policy but needs backing from parliament to push through reforms.

Poroshenko’s faction has the most seats in the current legislature and new parliamentary polls are due in October.

The West has closely watched the race amid concern a new government might undo years of economic reforms.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo called both Zelensky and Poroshenko on the eve of the run-off vote.</s>Ukrainians on Sunday headed to the polls in a run-off election to vote for their new president.

The country’s nearly 31 million eligible voters had the chance to choose between incumbent president Petro Poroshenko and comedian Volodymyr Zelensky, at 30,000 polling stations.</s>A comedian with no political experience won a landslide victory in Ukraine’s presidential election on Sunday, exit polls showed, dealing a stunning rebuke to the country’s political establishment.

Volodymyr Zelensky, whose only previous political role was playing the president in a TV show, trounced incumbent Petro Poroshenko by taking 73 percent of the vote, according to exit polls conducted by several think tanks.

It was an extraordinary outcome to a campaign that started as a joke but struck a chord with voters frustrated by poverty, corruption and a five-year war in eastern Ukraine that has claimed some 13,000 lives.

The 41-year-old star of the TV series “Servant of the People” will now take the helm of a country of 45 million people beset by challenges and having run on the vaguest of political platforms.

“I will never let you down,” Zelensky told jubilant supporters at his Kiev campaign headquarters where he was showered with glittering confetti after the exit polls were released.

“While I am not formally president yet, as a citizen of Ukraine I can tell all post-Soviet countries: ‘Look at us! Everything is possible!’.”

Zelensky won in all regions of the country, defeating Poroshenko even in the west where he traditionally enjoyed strong support.

Poroshenko, 53, conceded defeat in a speech at his campaign headquarters and said the results were “clear” and enough reason to “call my opponent and congratulate him. I will leave office but I want to firmly stress — I will not quit politics,” Poroshenko said.

Preliminary results were expected in several hours but the same exit polls were accurate in the first round of the election.

After taking the most votes in last month’s first-round vote, Zelensky had enjoyed a strong lead going into Sunday’s poll.

From Ukrainian-speaking regions in the west of the country to Russian-speaking territories in the war-torn east, many voters said they feared uncertainty but yearned for change.

“We’re tired of all the lies,” said Marta Semenyuk, 26, who cast her ballot for the comedian.

“I think it just cannot get any worse and I hope he’ll live up to his promises,” said Larisa, an 18-year-old student from the government-held eastern port city of Mariupol.

Zelensky’s victory opens a new chapter in the history of a country that has gone through two popular uprisings in the last 20 years and is mired in a conflict with Moscow-backed separatists in the east.

His supporters say only a fresh face can clean up Ukraine’s politics and end the separatist conflict.

But others doubt the showman will be able to take on the country’s influential oligarchs, negotiate with the likes of German Chancellor Angela Merkel and stand up to Russia’s Vladimir Putin.

“People have gone mad,” Viktoriya Olomutska, a 39-year-old Poroshenko supporter, said in Kiev. “Cinema and reality are two different things.”

Poroshenko had previously mocked his rival’s lack of political experience and argued he was unfit to be a wartime commander-in-chief.

The outgoing leader came to power after a 2014 pro-Western uprising ousted a Kremlin-backed regime, triggering Moscow’s annexation of Crimea.

His supporters credited him with rebuilding the army and securing an Orthodox Church independent of Russia.

But many feel the country’s ruling elite have forgotten the promises of the revolution.

The comic shunned traditional campaign rallies and instead performed comedy gigs and used social media to appeal to voters.

The Ukrainian president has strong powers over defence, security and foreign policy but needs backing from parliament to push through reforms.

Poroshenko’s faction has the most seats in the current legislature and new parliamentary polls are due in October.

The West has closely watched the race amid concern a new government might undo years of economic reforms.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo called both Zelensky and Poroshenko on the eve of the run-off vote.
According to exit polls, comedian Volodymyr Zelensky wins Ukraine's presidential run-off election over incumbent President Petro Poroshenko with more than 70 percent of the votes. Poroshenko concedes defeat.