Campaign ends in Ukraine

Friday is the last day of campaigning in the bitterly fought race, which will be decided in the vote on Sunday.

There will be televised speeches from Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych and his political rival Viktor Yushchenko.

Election observers from the European Union, the US, Nato and other bodies are preparing to monitor the voting.

Yanukovych was originally declared the winner of November's run-off.

But the result was annulled by the Supreme Court on the grounds of widespread fraud. That decision followed weeks of street protests by Yushchenko's supporters, in what became known as the "Orange Revolution".

Yushchenko is now reported to be enjoying a comfortable, 14-point lead in the opinion polls.

He broadly favours closer ties with western Europe, something his opponents say will alienate Russia, Ukraine's main trading partner.

Yanukovych has warned that if his opponent wins, it could split the country, while Mr Yushchenko claims that the authorities may try to rig the vote.