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Zelensky, Poroshenko enter runoff - Ukraine's Central Election Commission

According to the Commission, all other candidates have lost chances to make it into the runoff

Vladimir Zelensky EPA-EFE/STEPAN FRANKO

Vladimir Zelensky

© EPA-EFE/STEPAN FRANKO

KIEV, April 2. /TASS/. Comedian and leader of the Servant of the People political party Vladimir Zelensky and incumbent Ukrainian President Pyotr Poroshenko have entered a runoff presidential election with 97.48% of the vote counted, Ukraine's Central Election Commission said.

According to the Commission, all other candidates have lost chances to make it into the runoff.

The first round of the Ukrainian presidential election was held on March 31. With over 95% of ballots counted across the country, leader of the Servant of the People political party Vladimir Zelensky remains in the lead with 30.24% of the vote, followed by incumbent President Pyotr Poroshenko, who garnered 15.93%. Yulia Timoshenko came in third with 13.39%.

Earlier, Ukraine’s Central Election Commission officially declared that neither candidate would be able to win the 50-percent majority of the vote and a runoff election would take place on April 21. So, based on the preliminary data, Zelensky and Poroshenko are headed towards the runoff.

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