Ukraine election: Comedian leads presidential contest
A comedian with no political experience has won the most votes in the first round of Ukraine's presidential elections, early results indicate.
With half the ballots counted, Volodymyr Zelenskiy - who plays the president on TV - got about 30%, with current leader Petro Poroshenko on 16%, BBC reports.
The two - who have expressed largely pro-EU opinions - are set to take part in a run-off election next month.
Former prime minister Yulia Tymoshenko appears to have been eliminated.
"I'm very happy but this is not the final action," Mr Zelenskiy told the BBC's Jonah Fisher, minutes after exit polls were announced.
Mr Poroshenko described his second-place showing as a "harsh lesson".
The interior ministry says hundreds of electoral violations have been reported, but foreign observers say the vote appeared to be mainly smooth.
A total of 39 candidates were on the ballot paper. With none receiving more than 50%, the top two will go forward to the run-off on 21 April.
The Ukrainian president has significant powers over security, defence and foreign policy, in a system described as semi-presidential.
Related news
- Day of silence in Ukraine ahead of crucial presidential vote
- Russia won’t send observers to Ukraine as part of OSCE human rights body’s mission
- Ukraine to bar Russian journalists from covering presidential election
- Ukrainian presidential ballot to have 39 names
Տեքստում սխալ կամ վրիպակ նկատելու դեպքում, ուղարկեք խմբագրին հաղորդագրություն` նշելով տվյալ սխալը, այնուհետև սեղմելով Ctrl-Enter:
Newsfeed
17:00
Armenian church honors St Gregory the Thaumaturgus and others
The Armenian Apostolic Church on Saturday commemorates St Gregory the Thaumaturgus, Nicholas the Bishop and St Myron the Wonderworker....
Source Panorama.am
16:30
Banner at Armenian church in Watertown vandalized, police say
A banner at St. Stephen’s Armenian Church in Watertown has been vandalized, Watertown News reports, citing local police.
The...
Source Panorama.am
16:02
At least 3 arrested as Montreal anti-NATO protests turns violent
Montreal police say at least three people were arrested after protests turned violent Friday evening, with demonstrators throwing objects at...
Source Panorama.am
15:45
Expert: Armenia pinned hopes on 'European fairy tales' and became isolated
Arthur Khachikyan, an international relations expert from Stanford University, claims the Armenian government’s poor foreign...
Source Panorama.am
15:07
Armenian-Russian relations 'in agony', expert says
Hayk Khalatyan, a political analyst at the Verelq Information and Analytical Center, on Saturday accused Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and his...
Source Panorama.am
14:32
Powerful Israeli airstrike kills 11 people in central Beirut
A powerful airstrike killed 11 people in central Beirut on Saturday, the Lebanese civil defence said, shaking the capital as Israel pressed its...
Source Panorama.am
14:15
Expert: Armenian-Azeri talks somewhat stalled
Political analyst Suren Sargsyan claims the Armenian-Azerbaijani peace talks have somewhat stalled amid the change of government in the United...
Source Panorama.am
13:33
Temperatures set to plunge next week
Clear weather is expected in Armenia's regions over the weekend.
Rain and snow are forecast for most parts of the country next week....
Source Panorama.am
13:06
Magnitude 4․3 quake hits Azerbaijan, felt in Armenia
A magnitude 4․3 earthquake struck Azerbaijan on Saturday afternoon.
The quake was recorded 42 km northeast of the town of Goris in...
Source Panorama.am
12:35
Opposition MP slams Pashinyan's Western Armenia remarks
Opposition Hayastan faction MP Levon Kocharyan has blasted Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan's remarks on Western Armenia and Baku’s fake...
Source Panorama.am
12:00
MP Hovik Aghazaryan says decided on his parliament seat
MP Hovik Aghazaryan of Armenia’s ruling Civil Contract party has made a decision on his parliament seat.
The deputy has told the media...
Source Panorama.am
11:36
US lawmakers request classified briefing on Turkey’s ties to Hamas
More than three dozen Democratic and Republican lawmakers are calling on the Biden administration to offer a classified briefing on...
Source Panorama.am
11:15
Armenia's Mushegh Mkrtchyan wins bronze at World Military Wrestling Championships
Armenian serviceman Mushegh Mkrtchyan (92 kg) has clinched a bronze medal at the 37th CISM World Military Wrestling Championships in Yerevan,...
Source Panorama.am
11:00
Switzerland bans exports to Polish firm after Swiss-made ammunition ends up in Ukraine
The Swiss government said Friday it is barring exports to a Polish military hardware supplier after concluding that some 645,000 rounds of...
Source Panorama.am
17:12
Armenia to face Georgia in Nations League play-off
The 2024/25 UEFA Nations League knockout stage and play-off ties have been confirmed following the draw in Nyon, Switzerland on Friday....
Source Panorama.am
16:36
Hayk Marutyan agrees to debate with Tigran Avinyan
New Power party leader Hayk Marutyan has agreed to a TV debate with incumbent Yerevan Mayor Tigran Avinyan.
Marutyan, a former Yerevan...
Source Panorama.am
15:45
Opposition politician: Pashinyan leading Armenia to 'final collapse'
Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s administration is leading Armenia to the “final collapse” and Turkification, opposition...
Source Panorama.am
15:05
Caretaker deputy justice minister sacked
Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has signed a decree to dismiss Armenuhi Harutyunyan as Acting Deputy Minister of Justice....
Source Panorama.am
14:35
Armenian parliament speaker confirms MP's resignation
National Assembly Speaker Alen Simonyan has issued a statement on the resignation of Narek Zeynalyan as an MP from Armenia’s ruling Civil...
Source Panorama.am
14:06
Visa restricts media access to key event in Yerevan
Visa has restricted the media access to the Cashless Forum 2024 to be held in Yerevan for the first time on November 22.
Only...
Source Panorama.am
13:36
Orban says he will invite Netanyahu to Hungary after ICC warrant
Prime Minister Viktor Orban said on Friday he would invite Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to visit Hungary, saying he would guarantee...
Source Panorama.am
13:11
Temps to plummet in Armenia
Clear weather is expected in Armenia's regions on Friday and over the weekend.
Rain and snow are forecast for most parts of the country...
Source Panorama.am
12:32
Alexis Ohanian showcases rare Armenian coin
Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian has showcased a rare Armenian coin from 95 BC featuring Tigranes the Great, a famous Armenian king....
Source Panorama.am
12:16
German foreign minister criticizes Azerbaijan's human rights record
German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock criticized the human rights record of Azerbaijan during her first appearance at the UN Climate Change...
Source Panorama.am
12:06
Minister shares new images captured by Armenia's first satellite
Armenia's Minister of High-Tech Industry Mkhitar Hayrapetyan has shared new satellite images from orbit captured by ARMSAT-1,...
Source Panorama.am
11:36
World Cadet Chess Championship passes its halfway mark
The 2024 World Cadet Chess Championship has passed its halfway mark in Montesilvano, Italy.
After 6 rounds, in the Open 12 category CM...
Source Panorama.am
11:15
Iran to launch 'new and advanced centrifuges' in response to IAEA censure
Iran said Friday it would launch a series of "new and advanced" centrifuges in response to a resolution adopted by the IAEA that...
Source Panorama.am
11:00
Armenian, Iranian foreign ministers hold phone call
Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan on Thursday had a telephone conversation with his Iranian counterpart Seyed Abbas Araghchi....
Source Panorama.am
17:07
Winter military draft starts in Armenia on November 25
The winter conscription for compulsory military service starts in Armenia on November 25 to run through January 31, 2025.
The...
Source Panorama.am
16:45
Russian spokeswoman told not to comment on ballistic missile strike live on air
Russia's foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova received a phone call during a live press briefing on Thursday telling her not to...
Source Panorama.am
Videos
17:32 20/02/2023
Artur Vanetsyan: I think you'll see me more often at various events in future
17:35 20/02/2023
Armenian expert: U.S. stance on Karabakh remains unchanged
13:59 09/02/2023
Premature births increase in Artsakh due to stress
12:43 09/01/2023
Snow-covered Yerevan
15:41 15/12/2022
Gegham Stepanyan calls for sanctions against criminal Azerbaijan
11:45 29/11/2022
Memorial plaque honoring Yeghishe Charents inaugurated in Yerevan
