Opposition leader Viktor Yanukovich secures a lead of slightly more than 10 percentage points over Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko in the first round of Ukraine's presidential election with 99.99 percent Yanukovich, leader of the Regions Party, scored 35.32 percent of the vote, while his main challenger Tymoshenko garnered 25.05 percent, according to the Central Election Commission. They will face each other in a run-off on Feb. 7.

Former economy minister Sergei Tigipko was in third place with 13.05 percent. Incumbent President Viktor Yushchenko, in fifth place, gained only 5.45 percent.

Sunday's vote was Ukraine's first presidential election since the 2004 Orange Revolution. Preliminary official data showed turnout was 67 percent.

Yanukovich, who draws the bulk of his support from the Russian- speaking areas of the industrial east and the south, has promised Ukrainians economic revival, new jobs, pay raises, judicial reforms and tax-free policies for small enterprises for five years.

Tymoshenko, an ally of Yushchenko in the Orange Revolution, gave priority to a fair society and government efficiency, and pledged an innovation-driven economic structure reform and improvement in people's welfare. Her powerbase is in the west of the country.