A comedian with no political experience has won the most votes in the first round of Ukraine’s presidential elections, according to exit polls.
They say Volodymyr Zelenskiy – who played the president on TV – received 30.4% of the vote, with current leader Petro Poroshenko second on 17.8%.
The two are set to take part in a run-off election next month.
Former Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko, who the polls said received 14.2%, appears to have been eliminated.
A total of 39 candidates are on the ballot paper, and with none receiving 50% the top two will go forward to the run-off on April 21.
The Ukrainian president has significant powers over security, defence and foreign policy and the ex-Soviet republic’s system is described as semi-presidential.