1 April

Vote counting in Ukraine's presidential election is underway. Volodymyr Zelenskiy is leading the other candidates but a run-off election is a near certainty sometime later this month.

The election committee says that out of the 29 percent of the votes counted, Zelenskiy has received 30.1 percent. The incumbent president Petro Poroshenko has 16.6 percent. Former prime minister Yulia Tymoshenko follows with 13.2 percent.

Exit polls conducted by research institutes and civic groups also suggest the 41-year-old comedian gained more than 30 percent of votes.

Zelenskiy has no political experience. But he rose to stardom playing a fictional president in a TV series.

Local media reports that a run-off election between Zelenskiy and Poroshenko will be held on April 21.

Zelenskiy commented after seeing the results of the exit polls that his camp can walk a great path thanks to the sincere support of many citizens.

NHK