Angry protesters flood Kiev over result of presidential vote

KIEV, Ukraine -- Tens of thousands of demonstrators jammed downtown Kiev in freezing temperatures Monday night, denouncing Ukraine's presidential runoff election as fraudulent and chanting the name of their reformist candidate who authorities said was trailing in the vote count.

Viktor Yushchenko stood beaming on a platform with campaign aides and flashed a "V" for victory sign -- even though the Central Election Commission said earlier that with nearly all the votes counted, he was losing to Kremlin-backed Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych.

"Yushchenko -- our president!" chanted the crowd, many of whom waved orange scarves -- his campaign color in Independence Square. Others had set up a tent camp along central Khreshchatyk Street, and organizers were inundated with piles of winter clothes donated for protesters expected to arrive from other cities.

The election commission's announcement galvanized widespread dismay and anger among the former Soviet republic's 48 million people. The capital's city council and several other municipal governments rejected the official results and a major chocolate factory closed plants in protest.

Russian President Vladimir Putin sent a statement to Yanukovych to congratulate him on the result, Russian news agencies reported, but a group of international observers described Sunday's balloting as severely flawed. Observers with the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe said there were extensive indications of vote fraud, including people apparently voting multiple times and voters being forced to turn over absentee ballots to state employers.

In Washington, the State Department called on Ukraine's government to investigate the allegations of fraud or risk a changed relationship with the United States.

Echoing criticism by the European Union, the OSCE, Freedom House and others, spokesman Adam Ereli said the United States was deeply concerned and called on Ukrainian authorities "to act to ensure an outcome that reflects the will of the Ukrainian people."

As protesters milled outside the capital's city council building, its members inside passed a resolution calling on the national parliament to not recognize the election results.

Although official results, with more than 99 percent of precincts counted, showed Yanukovych with 49.42 percent to 46.70 percent for Yushchenko, several exit polls had found Yushchenko the winner.

If the parliament doesn't take action to solve the crisis, "we will have no choice but to block roads, airports, seize city halls," said Yuliya Tymoshenko, a Yushchenko ally who has been one of the most visible opposition figures, noted for her elaborately braided blond hair.

Yushchenko told the crowd that police were believed to be preparing to break up the gathering.

"This is our unique chance to become better people, to preserve our dignity," said Oleh Krypko, 24, who came to the demonstration with his St. Bernard, whose leash was draped in orange cloth.

Four other sizable cities -- Lviv, Ternopil, Vinnytsia and Ivano-Frankivsk -- announced they recognized Yushchenko as president, news agencies reported. Some 20,000 protesters rallied in Lviv, Yushchenko's western stronghold region.

The Roshen company, a major chocolate producer, announced it would close its factories for a week in protest, the Unian news agency said. If industrial protests spread, the economic growth that has been one of the struggling country's few recent points of pride could be undermined.

Sen. Richard Lugar, the visiting chairman of the Senate's foreign relations committee, said outgoing President Leonid Kuchma "has both the responsibility and the opportunity to review all of this and take decisive action in the best interests of the country."

Lugar did not make specific suggestions and it was not immediately clear what Kuchma and the authorities might do to defuse the sharply rising anger.

European Union officials also urged Ukrainian authorities to "urgently" review the results, saying the election had "clearly fallen short" of international standards.

Yanukovych, in televised comments, called for national unity and criticized the call for public protests. "This small group of radicals has taken upon itself the goal of splitting Ukraine," he said.

Although official results, with more than 99 percent of precincts counted, showed Yanukovych with 49.42 percent to 46.70 percent for Yushchenko, several exit polls had found Yushchenko the winner.

The international observers rated the voting as more flawed than the Oct. 31 first round. "The abuse of state resources in favor of the prime minister continued, as well as an overwhelming media bias in his favor," said mission leader Bruce George.

"It is now apparent that a concerted and forceful program of election-day fraud and abuse was enacted with either the leadership or cooperation of governmental authorities," said Lugar, who came to Kiev as President Bush's envoy.

In contrast, the Russian head of an observer mission from former Soviet republics, Vladimir Rushailo, declared the voting "transparent, legitimate and free," according to the Interfax news agency.

Russian authorities, including Putin, had strongly praised Yanukovych during the campaign, and the nascent uprising in favor of Yushchenko is likely an embarrassment to the Kremlin as it tries to reassert influence in the ex-Soviet sphere.

The election was seen as determining whether Ukraine tilts toward the West or its traditional patron, Russia.

Yushchenko said that in addition to the tent camp in Kiev, the opposition would demand an emergency parliamentary session; reports said the session was expected today.

Dmytro Schwartz, a 70-year-old retired schoolteacher, came to Independence Square with his 11-year-old grandson, David.

"This is Ukraine's rebirth and you should remember that," Schwartz told the boy.