Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovich today refused to accept the outcome of the re-run of Ukraine's presidential election in which his rival holds a big lead and said he would challenge the result in the Supreme Court.
"I will never recognise this defeat because there were violations of the constitution and of human rights in our country," Mr Yanukovich told a news conference after preliminary results showed him trailing liberal Viktor Yushchenko.
He said his team had no confidence in the Supreme Court's civil chamber which this month annulled his victory in last month's vote. "I will demand that our appeal, which is being prepared, be examined by the entire collegium of the Supreme Court of Ukraine. And that this should be done publicly."
