(MENAFN- The Peninsula) Ukrainian leaders made final appeals to voters ahead of snap parliamentary elections today that are intended to give impetus to democratic reforms, but are overshadowed by deepening conflict with Russia and pro-Russian rebels.
"At last we will elect a pro-Ukrainian and not pro-Moscow, an anti-corruption and not pro-bribery, a pro-European parliament," President Petro Poroshenko said.
His Petro Poroshenko Bloc was forecast to emerge as the biggest party in the 450 seat legislature, although without an absolute majority, meaning he will have to form a coalition, probably with harder-line nationalists.
The elections were called to cement the pro-Western course launched in a February street revolt that overthrew the corruption-tainted, Moscow-backed president Viktor Yanukovich.
For the first time since the collapse of the Soviet Union, the Communist Party is not expected to enter parliament, symbolising what Poroshenko, elected president in May with 55 percent of the vote, hopes is an irreversible political shift. Polls show a majority of Ukrainians support economic and democratic reforms - especially a crackdown on corruption - leading eventually to European Union membership.
However, the optimism and energy of the revolution have been sucked out by Russia's seizure of the Crimea region and an uprising by pro-Russian rebels in the industrial Donbass region that has killed more than 3,700 people.
With no military victory in sight, Ukrainians may face the same kind of frozen conflict severely weakening other ex-Soviet states, such as Georgia.
Western governments blame Russia for the turmoil and have slapped painful economic sanctions on Moscow. However, President Vladimir Putin accuses the West of stirring up the conflict as part of a strategy to weaken Russia.
In a combative speech on Friday, the Kremlin leader lashed out at the United States and said Ukraine was showing a "lack of goodwill" to end the conflict "by peaceful means".
The tug-of-war over Ukraine, a country of about 45 million, has propelled nationalist parties to the fore in today's vote, meaning that Poroshenko will be under pressure to deliver on anti-corruption promises and a solution to the armed conflict.
Ukraine had 36.5 million voters, but lost about 1.8 million after the annexation of Crimea in March, while about three million more live in separatist-controlled areas of Lugansk and Donetsk provinces. Twenty seven seats in parliament from the conflict areas will remain empty.
Insurgent leaders are not allowing polling stations to open in their areas and instead are holding their own election, which Kiev does not recognise, on November 2.
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