Viktor Yushchenko, the politically bruised, outgoing Ukrainian president, cast his ballot Sunday without backing either of his two rivals for the post.
"The Ukrainians will be ashamed of their choice, but this is democracy," Yushchenko told reporters after voting. "Ukraine must learn to run fair, legal elections. The top priority today is to show the Ukrainians that we can hand over power in a democratic way."
He voted at Kiev Polling Station No. 1 with his wife. Earlier reports had said he was planning to vote against both candidates, and he refused to throw his support behind either of the front-runners.
Yushchenko fell out of the race in the first round of voting, winning just 5.45 percent to take a distant fifth place.
Viktor Yanukovych, who topped the first poll, lost his initial bid for the presidency five years ago in the Orange Revolution, led by Yushchenko and their now-mutual rival, Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko.
Yanukovych initially won the 2004 election, but the Supreme Court threw out the results after mass protests over falsifications. Yushchenko, a former Central Bank chief and prime minister, went on to win the rerun election and became president in January 2005, promising to rally Ukrainians to join the European Union.
His popularity dropped dramatically, however, after he failed to deliver on promises and infighting led to political deadlock.
Both Tymoshenko and Yanukovych have been accused by each other's supporters of planning to commit election fraud, although analysts say mass demonstrations are unlikely to be repeated.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.