The Ukrainian presidential candidate made a faux pas last week, when he referred to the Russian writer Anton Chekhov, a long time resident of the peninsula as Ukrainian.

But in this part of the country his gaffe is unlikely to benefit his opponent on Sunday, Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko.

At least, that is what I was told by a multitude of voices, when I took a ride on the form of transport known locally as “Hyde Park on wheels”; the old, rickety, Soviet-era trolley bus that lurches around town.

Russian news agency Itar TASS said that the Research and Branding Group exit poll gave Yanukovych 50.26 per cent and Tymoshenko 44.3 per cent.

Exit polls gave Yanukovych a three to six point lead, the BBC said.

The National Exit Poll, a consortium partly funded by Western embassies, said Yanukovych had secured 48.7 per cent of the vote against Tymoshenko’s 45.5 per cent. Another exit poll, by ICTV, said he took 49.8 per cent of the vote against her 45.2 per cent, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty said.

Tymoshenko earlier vowed to call her supporters to the streets if voting appeared fraudulent. Each side has accused the other of electoral fraud.

“If they succeed in perverting the election results through large-scale uncontrolled falsifications, then the legitimacy of that president will not be recognized by Ukraine or by the international community,” she said, as quoted by CNN.

The Voice of America said that the presidential vote in Ukraine opened on February 7 amid uncertainty over the election laws.

Distrust between Tymoshenko and Yanukovych had led to doubts about the electoral process.

Four days before the second round, Yanukovych’s party managed to pass a controversial amendment to Ukraine’s election law.

The measure allows a local election precinct to open even if it lacks a quorum of commission members representing both candidates.

A basic question about the election, on route number 10, unleashed a torrent of comments.

All of them were anti-Mrs Tymoshenko.

“You can’t trust someone who changes her opinions as often as she changes dresses” and “she should be in jail” were typical.

The Voice of America said that the presidential vote in Ukraine opened on February 7 amid uncertainty over the election laws.

Distrust between Tymoshenko and Yanukovych had led to doubts about the electoral process.

Four days before the second round, Yanukovych’s party managed to pass a controversial amendment to Ukraine’s election law.

The measure allows a local election precinct to open even if it lacks a quorum of commission members representing both candidates.

The campaign has been marked by smears and there are fears that supporters of the loser could protest on the street, VOA said.