Petro Poroshenko concedes defeat as Volodymyr Zelenskiy takes over 70% of votes, promising: ‘I won’t mess up’

Volodymyr Zelenskiy, an actor and comedian with no political experience other than playing the role of president in a TV series, has won a landslide victory in Ukraine’s presidential election, with near-complete counting showing he has won over 70% of the vote.

The incumbent, Petro Poroshenko conceded defeat on Sunday evening before results started coming in.

Likely election of comedian Volodymyr Zelenskiy propelled by anti-establishment vote

‘There’s a 90% chance he’ll be a disaster, but I’m going to vote for him anyway,” said Alyona Sych, a 36-year-old nurse, strolling through Kyiv in the spring sunshine and explaining why she plans to vote for an untested actor and comedian in Ukraine’s presidential election on Sunday.

“I know 100% that the current guy is a disaster, so of course I’ll go for the 10% chance we could really change things.”

Some question whether rival is also shackled by old system that reasserted itself despite hopes of Maidan revolution

When Petro Poroshenko won Ukraine’s presidential election five years ago, it was with the campaign slogan: “Live in a new way!”

Ukrainians voted for him in the hope he would make real the hopes and desires of all those who had poured into the streets for the Maidan revolution and forced the country’s corrupt kleptocratic president Viktor Yanukovych to flee.

Vladimir Zelenskiy, whose character becomes president in hit TV show, leading polls

Vladimir Zelenskiy may just joke his way to becoming Ukraine’s next leader. A comic actor who plays a teacher who unexpectedly becomes president in a hit Ukrainian TV show after his rant against corrupt politicians goes viral, he is now pitching for the top job in real life and has a 10-point lead in some opinion polls.

It is Ukraine’s most unorthodox presidential campaign in history. After announcing his campaign on New Year’s Eve, Zelenskiy has shot into first place by contrasting his screen personality, a genial everyman who speaks in a gravelly bass, with public discontent against the country’s ruling class. His political party and TV show share the same name, Servant of the People.