KIEV, May 26 (RIA Novosti) – Former boxer Vitali Klitschko, who ran for mayor of Ukraine’s capital city Kiev in Sunday’s election, has taken some 56 percent of the votes in the local poll, his campaign headquarters told RIA Novosti on Monday.
“Over 56 percent of voters backed Vitali Klitschko in the mayoral election in Kiev,” said Irina Herashchenko, the head of the local campaign headquarters.
Local elections in Ukraine were held the same day as the presidential vote. Klitschko earlier bowed out of the presidential race and threw his support behind candy-maker tycoon Petro Poroshenko, who won the presidency, according to preliminary results.
The election in Ukraine was conducted against a backdrop of a deep political rift and a massive military crackdown on the country’s east that has killed scores of civilians.
A total of 21 candidates ran for president. The central elections commission is still counting the returns, but billionaire candy-maker Petro Poroshenko has been largely predicted to win the poll.
