The incumbent Mayor of the 2nd largest Ukrainian city of Kharkov Gennady Kernes at the election of the mayor gaining 59, 3% of voters came to the polls, winning in the first round, show the results of the exit polls, commissioned by all-Ukrainian NGO Committee of voters of Ukraine.

followed by Taras Sitenko from the combination of "Self-help" with 16, 4%.

Error sociologicheskogo study amounted to 2, 5% - 3%.

Elections of the mayor of Kharkov, as in other regions of Ukraine, will be held under the new law on local elections. In the cities with population over 90 thousand people entered the system of election of mayors in 2 rounds to win, the candidate must receive 50% plus one vote, or to have a gap from the nearest competitor in 20% of the votes, on the other will be assigned the second round.

Kernes was elected in October 2010 from the then ruling Party of regions during the rule of President Viktor Yanukovych, Kernes very closely cooperated with the government, supported the former President during protests in 2013-2014. After the change of government in February 2014 for Kharkiv mayor fell on hard times: he did not support the new government, survived an attempt on his life (now has a wheelchair) and was on the bench of the accused.

In the summer of 2014 with regard to him was prosecuted under the criminal code, and in the autumn of 2015 over the Kernes started the trial. The Prosecutor General's office of Ukraine accuses Kharkiv mayor and his guards in the kidnapping and beating of participants of "euromaidan" in March 2014. If guilt Kernes will prove, to it threatens from five till ten years of prison sentences he himself rejects all accusations own the address and called the case " politically motivated ".

sections: Politics