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Expert: Ukraine’s runoff election to be clash of smear campaigns and technologies

People will chose between the one they fear and the one they hate, according to head of the Ukrainian Institute of Policy Analysis and Management Ruslan Bortnik

KIEV, April 1. /TASS/. Ukraine’s presidential runoff election will be a battle between a smear campaign and technologies, said head of the Ukrainian Institute of Policy Analysis and Management Ruslan Bortnik.

"The runoff election in Ukraine, which will end with the April 21 vote, will be a battle between a smear campaign and technologies. People will chose between the one they fear and the one they hate," he told TASS on Monday.

According to the expert, the outcome of the runoff election depends on the coalitions, which leader of the Servant of the People party Vladimir Zelensky and incumbent President Pyotr Poroshenko will be able to forge around themselves.

He believes that one should not expect either vote recount or mass protests after the election. "One should expect neither a new ‘Maidan’ nor disruption in counting the votes, because neither the key oligarchs nor Western partners are interested in that," the expert noted.

According to Bortnik, the 64% voter turnout in Sunday’s presidential election is the "practical maximum, which can be achieved in Ukraine now."

Zelensky who has garnered 30.40% of the vote leads the presidential race with more than 62% of ballots counted. He is followed by incumbent President Pyotr Poroshenko who has secured 16.34%. The runoff election is scheduled to be held on April 21.