MORE than 100,000 opposition supporters took over the centre of Kiev last night to protest over the results of a presidential election that Western observers said was rigged in favour of Viktor Yanukovych, the Russian-backed Prime Minister.

Protesters set up hundreds of tents behind makeshift barricades along the main avenue to Independence Square. Lorries brought generators, sleeping bags, waterproof sheets and food, all provided by the headquarters of the Western-leaning opposition leader, Viktor Yushchenko, in what was a highly organised operation.

Richard Lugar, President Bush’s personal representative at the election, called for a review of the results. He accused the Government of engineering defeat for Mr Yushchenko, and a US State Department spokesman said that Washington was deeply concerned about the elections.

But President Putin called the Prime Minister to congratulate him on his victory, highlighting the Cold War-style geopolitical struggle behind the scenes.

With 99.38 per cent of the vote counted, Mr Yanukovych had 49.42 per cent, compared with 46.70 per cent for Mr Yushchenko, the Central Election Commission announced from behind barricades guarded by riot police.

An exit poll on Sunday, conducted under a Western-funded programme, had given Mr Yushchenko 54 per cent to the Prime Minister’s 43 per cent. Another exit poll put Mr Yushchenko ahead by 49.4 to 45.9 per cent.

The results set the stage for a tense — and possibly bloody — stand-off between reformist Ukrainians, who see their future with Europe, and the entrenched post-Soviet elite, which favours closer ties with Moscow. “We will not leave this place until we win,” Mr Yushchenko told a huge crowd waving flags and banners in his orange campaign colours on Independence Square. “The people’s will cannot be broken. People’s votes cannot be stolen.”

Despite sub-zero temperatures, his supporters remained on the square overnight as thousands more headed for Kiev from his stronghold of Lviv in western Ukraine.

His coalition partner, Yuliya Tymoshenko, called for a general strike. The scenes conjured memories of last year’s “rose” revolution in Georgia that toppled Eduard Shevardnadze and gave the West a strategic foothold in Moscow’s back yard. Opposition activists have already dubbed their movement the “chestnut” revolution — after the trees dotted around central Kiev.

But President Kuchma has given warning that there will be “no revolutions” in Ukraine, raising fears of a violent crackdown, and some analysts doubt that Mr Yushchenko can stir sufficient passion among stoical Ukrainians.

Ukraine’s security organs gave warning to the Opposition that they would put down any lawlessness “quickly and firmly”.

Mr Yanukovych appealed for unity in a televised address. “I categorically will not accept the actions of certain politicians who are now calling people to the barricades. This small group of radicals has taken upon itself the goal of splitting Ukraine,” he said.

But despite the warnings the city council of Kiev was reported to have passed a resolution calling on the national parliament not to recognise the results. The administrations in three other major cities, Lviv, Ternopil and Ivano-Frankivsk said that they recognised Mr Yushchenko as the new President, refusing to accept that Mr Yanukovych had won.

The outcome will have lasting political and economic impact on the country of 48 million people caught in limbo between their old Soviet masters in Moscow and an expanding EU. Mr Yushchenko, a former Prime Minister and central banker, has promised to liberalise the economy, eradicate the corruption of the Kuchma era and pursue membership of the EU and Nato. His opponent, who was convicted of assault and robbery in his youth, wants to introduce dual citizenship with Russia, make Russian an official language and promote an economic union with Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan.

Victory for Mr Yanukovych, who is backed by President Kuchma and the Kremlin, is likely to push Ukraine firmly back into Moscow’s sphere of influence. President Putin visited Ukraine twice in the last month to offer his support to the Prime Minister. Western governments have poured money into pro-democracy non-government organisations.

Mr Lugar, who is also Chairman of the US Senate’s Foreign Relations Committee, said:

“I believe that President Kuchma has the responsibility and the opportunity for producing, even at this point, an outcome which is fair and responsible.”

Praising the courage of those who fought for a free and fair election, he said that he believed they would succeed “in the next few days”.

The European Union also urged Ukrainian authorities to review their conduct and the election result. The Dutch Foreign Minister, Bernard Bot, said that each of the Union’s 25 member states would summon the Ukrainian Ambassador to express their concerns.

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