Petro Poroshenko

Ukraine's president-elect Petro Poroshenko vowed to punish pro-Russian rebels who downed an army helicopter in the east of the country, killing 12 troops in one of the deadliest attacks of the insurgency.

Bulgaria's President Rosen Plevneliev congratulated in a phone conversation  the newly-elected Ukrainian president Petro Poroshenko, said the President's press office. 

According to 99.03% of the processed ballots, Poroshenko wins the May 25 presidential elections with 54.7% of the votes. 

Ukraine's newly elected President Petro Poroshenko and German Chancellor Angela Merkel discussed relations between the two countries over a phone conversation.

Merkel congratulated Poroshenko on the election results from Sunday, and the two leaders spoke about the future of Ukraine-EU relations, Interfax reported.

More than 50 pro-Russian rebels were killed in an unprecedented assault by Ukrainian government forces, which raged into a second day on Tuesday after a newly-elected president vowed to crush the revolt in the east once and for all.
   

At least 24 people were killed after a truck carrying wounded rebels from Donetsk airport was attacked in Ukraine's Donetsk region, according to Russian media reports.

The self-proclaimed "Donetsk People's Republic" has declared martial law to cleanse its territory of Ukrainian troops, its leadership said Monday.

According to exit polls, confectionery tycoon Petro Poroshenko wins 55% of the votes in Ukraine’s presidential elections.

The elections were marked with low turnout in the eastern part of the country, where polling stations were closed in many places by the pro-Russian separatists.

Former Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko comes far behind in second place with 12.8%.

Ukraine has began a Day of silence on May 24, a day before the early presidential elections scheduled for Sunday, according to international media reports.

On the same day, elections of mayors will be held in seven regional centers - Kiev, Nikolaev, Odessa, Sumy, Kherson, Cherkassy and Chernovtsy.

Ukrainian presidential candidate Yulia Tymoshenko has vowed to initiate a referendum on EU and NATO membership, if she is elected.