Live Blog: Parliamentary Elections In Ukraine

Svoboda is big surprise 12,3 % just days ago people wonder if they would break the 5 % barrier #Ukrainevotes

— Just Hovens Greve (@JustHovensGreve) October 28, 2012

Exit poll results conducted by the sociological group, Rating.

Party of Regions: 27.6%

All Ukrainian Union "Fatherland:" 23.4%

UDAR: 14.3%

Svoboda: 12.5%

Communist Party: 12.5%

Ukraine Forward: 1.6%

National exit poll results from the National Committee.

Party of Regions: 28.1 %

All Ukrainian Union "Fatherland:" 24.7%

Udar: 15.1%

Svoboda: 12.3%

Communist Party: 11.8%

Ukraine Forward: 1.6 %

The symbol of today’s elections will definitely be Panda. Panda has already voted, have you?

@spa7id Панда уже проголосовала за твою свободу,а ты? #Вибори2012 #elect_ua #Кличко #УДАР #ukraine #BreakingNews youtu.be/M_JadlQQ7SM

— Viktor Atos (@VikAtos) October 28, 2012

The polls are closing in less than 30 minutes. Here is a summary of the six major political parties

Party of Regions
Leader Mykola Azarov
Honorary Leader - Viktor Yanukovych
First Deputy Volodymyr Rybak
Parliamentary leader Oleksandr Yefremov
Founded October 26, 1997
Partisan leaning Pro-Russian, center
http://www.partyofregions.org.ua/en/about

UDAR (Ukrainian Democratic Alliance for Reform)
Leader Vitaliy Klychko
Founded April 24, 2010, Legally registered March 14, 2005
Partisan leaning Anti-corruption, pro-European, center-right
http://klichko.org/en/about/history

All-Ukrainian Union "Fatherland"
Leader Yulia Tymoshenko (in prison), popular figure - Olexandr Turchynov
Founded 9 July 1999
Partisan leaning Liberal, Pro-European, moderate conservatism, center-right
European affiliation European People's Party
http://byut.com.ua/

The Communist party
Leader Petro Symonenko
Founded June 19, 1993
Partisan leaning Marxism-Leninism
International affiliation Union of Communist Parties
http://www.kpu.ua/

Svoboda party
Leader Oleh Tyahnybok
Founded Oct 13, 1991, as political party registered on Oct 16, 1995, preceded by Social-National Party
Partisan leaning Ukrainian nationalism, Far-right
http://www.svoboda.org.ua/

Ukraine Forward!
Leader Natalia Korolevska
Founded 1998 As Ukrainian Social Democratic Party
Partisan leaning Social democracy http://ukraina-vpered.com/en/

Video of disappearing ink in Odessa:

VIA Radio Svoboda:

News websistes in Crimea are reporting hacker attacks. According to the director of the Simferopol-based Information Press Center, Valentina Samar, eight publications including regional media centers in Sevastopol, Evpatoria, Feodosia, Yalta and Dzhankoy experienced attacks. The websites were publishing reports on voting irregularities.

The Committee of Voters has issued a document on voting violations as of 15:30 local time. (In Ukrainian)

Former footballer and member of the pro-business party called Ukraine Forward! Andriy Shevchenko, after casting his vote: "A huge chunk of work has been done. These last three months have been really good for us. I'm happy with my choice, I'm happy with my campaign. Thousands and thousands of people were coming to our meetings, I feel that support."

The polls will be open for just a couple more hours in Ukraine. A new document has been released of alleged violations (thus far) today -- we are working on a short synopsis in English.

Here is some reading on today's elections and what they mean going forward:

# Ukrainians Go To The Polls In Key Parliamentary Elections

# Want To Understand Russia-Ukraine Relations? Follow The Money

# Ukrainian Students Selling Votes On Social Networks