BREAKING NEWS ~ Ukraine election commission declares PM Yanukovych winner News
BREAKING NEWS ~ Ukraine election commission declares PM Yanukovych winner

[JURIST] AP is reporting that the Ukrainian election commission has declared Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych the winner of Sunday's disputed presidential election. Opposition leader Viktor Yushchenko had disputed early projections after official tallies diverged from exit polls showing Yushchenko with a wide margin of victory. BBC News reports that the nation was tensely awaiting the announcement. Russia's Mosnews.com has more coverage of events in Ukraine.

11:45 AM ET – An AP story is now available. Final figures gave Yanukovych 49.61 percent of the vote, with Yushchenko at 46.61 percent.

1:03 PM ET – AP is reporting that Secretary of State Colin Powell has called Ukraine's presidential election illegitimate, and has urged it to act "responsibly" in resolving the emergent political crisis in the country.