Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych's electoral rating is nearly four percentage points higher than that of former Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko.
Kyiv International Institute of Sociology has found this by conducting a public opinion poll in all regions of Ukraine on February 9-19.
The poll showed that, if presidential elections in Ukraine were held in the second half of February, 16.8% would have voted for Yanukovych, 12.9% for Tymoshenko, 8.7% for Front for Change leader Arseniy Yatseniuk, 6% for World Boxing Council Heavyweight World Champion Vitali Klitschko, and 4.3% for Strong Ukraine leader Sergiy Tigipko.
"Compared to November 2011, Yanukovych’s support grew to 16.8% from 11.8%, Tymoshenko’s to 12.9% from 9.6%, Klitschko’s to 6% from 4%, and Tigipko’s to 4.3% from 3.1%," the institute said in a press release on Wednesday.
The poll also showed that 71% of the respondents are discontented with the political situation and 79% with the economic situation in the country.
