Ukraine votes in crucial presidential election

Ukraine has started voting in a presidential election, just three months after former president Viktor Yanukovych fled Kiev amid unrest and violence in the Ukrainian capital.

Since then, Russia has annexed Ukraine and the east of the country has been gripped in violence, possibly spurred by Russian separatists. Voting in the eastern regions of Donestsk and Luhansk, where separatists have proclaimed breakaway independent republics after a pair of referendums held earlier this month, is likely to be disrupted by Russian separatists.

The vote is being called an illegitimate vote by Russian separatists.

Pre-election polls suggested that Petro Poroshenko, an experienced politician and the country's seventh richest man, had a chance of winning the elections in the first round.

More than two million illegible voters were expected to be unable to cast their ballots as almost half of the polling stations were blocked in the rebel-held regions.

In the more entrenched rebel strongholds, such as the town of Slavyansk, it seems unlikely there will be any voting at all, while even in Donetsk itself election officials could not say on Saturday afternoon how many polling stations would open and where they would be.

The election is being seen as an attempt by Ukraine's rulers to stabilise the country following recent political upheavals including the overthrow of its Russia-backed president.

Through European intermediaries, there have been informal negotiations between the pro-Kiev authorities in Donetsk and figures within the Russian government and there is confidence that Russia will not attempt a direct intervention.