In Ukraine, opposition leader Viktor Yushchenko has claimed victory in the rerun of the country’s presidential election. Exit polls showed Yushchenko winning by between 15 and 20 percentage points.

Speaking in Kiev’s Independence Square, Yushchenko told supporters “We have been independent for 14 years but we were not free. Now we can say this is a thing of the past. Now we are facing an independent and free Ukraine.”

The election marks a major defeat for the pro-Kremlin Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych who appeared set to become president a month ago following the first presidential vote. But international monitors and Yushchenko supporters claimed the vote was rigged and forced a revote.