Voting began in Ukraine's on Sunday (October 26) in an election that is expected to strengthen President Petro Poroshenko's mandate to end a separatist conflict in the east of the country.
Polling stations opened at 8:00 a.m. (0600 GMT) in the first parliamentary polls since street protests in the capital Kiev last winter forced Moscow-backed leader Viktor Yanukovich to flee and ushered in a pro-Europe leadership under Poroshenko.
Poroshenko called the election early to try to clear out Yanukovich loyalists and produce an assembly that also has a pro-Europe majority. Opinion polls indicated a political grouping supporting Poroshenko was likely to become the main force in the 450-seat assembly
Such an outcome could increase strains in ties with Russia which the Kiev leadership blames for backing the pro-Russian rebels in the east in a conflict that has killed more than 3,700 people and aggravated Ukraine's economic problems.
Polling stations close at 8:00 p.m. an
