Supreme Court rules election results invalid and calls for new vote [View All]

12-03) 08:53 PST KIEV, Ukraine (AP) --

The Supreme Court declared the results of Ukraine's disputed presidential run-off election invalid on Friday and ruled that the run-off should be repeated by Dec. 26, bringing cheers and fireworks from tens of thousands of opposition supporters massed in Kiev's main square.

The ruling, made after five days of hearings by the court's 18 justices, was a major victory for opposition leader Viktor Yushchenko, who had rejected the government's demands that an entirely new election be held.

The opposition had pinned its hopes on the court's ruling in its bid to overturn the results of the Nov. 21 run-off vote in which Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych was declared the winner. The opposition said the vote was rigged to cheat Yushchenko of victory.

Fireworks crackled in Independence Square, and the opposition supporters who have massed there for nearly two weeks waved orange flags and chanted "Yushchenko! Yushchenko!" once the ruling was announced.

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