Yanukovych's rating almost twice as high as rivals' - poll

KIEV, April 18 (RIA Novosti) - The leader of Ukraine's pro-Russian opposition Party of Regions is the most popular potential presidential candidate, according to a poll conducted by the Kiev International Institute of Sociology whose results are published in the Zerkalo Nedeli weekly on Saturday.

Ukraine will elect its president on October 25. Viktor Yanukovych leads the ratings with 25.6%, which is almost twice as high as Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko (14.4%) and ex-speaker Arseniy Yatsenyuk (13.6%).

Tymoshenko's rating is falling and Yatsenyuk's rating is rising. Other potential runners for president are far behind, with figures below 3%.

On April 1, Ukraine's parliament voted overwhelmingly in favor of presidential elections to be held on October 25, three months ahead of the date President Viktor Yushchenko had pushed for. Yushchenko's popularity ratings have fallen to single figures amid political instability and a shrinking economy.

The current president's former "Orange Revolution" ally, Tymoshenko, now an arch-rival, is likely to run against him at the election.

The poll was conducted March 26-April 17 in all Ukrainian regions. A total of 1,984 people were polled.