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Pro-Russia candidate Viktor Yanukovich on Monday won Ukraine's presidency after bitterly contested polls that rejected the West-leaning policies of the Orange Revolution five years ago.

His defeated rival, Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko, maintained an uncharacteristic silence throughout the day amid expectations that she may challenge the result of Sunday's vote and whip up political tensions.

With Yanukovich's victory margin of just over three percent much closer than predicted by pundits, hundreds of supporters decked out in the blue of his Regions Party rallied outside the election commission in Kiev.

Some candidates complained of dirty tricks but international observers, including by the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe, praised the elections as an impressive display of democracy.

The result marked a stunning turnaround for Yanukovich, an ex-convict who lost the 2004 elections when the Orange uprising led to the courts finding his side had committed mass vote rigging.

But the European Union said it was ready to work with the new president.

A count from 99.2 percent of polling stations said Yanukovich had 48.76 percent of the vote, while Tymoshenko -- a veteran leader of the Orange Revolution and champion of EU integration -- had 45.66 percent.

Another 4.4 percent of ballots were cast "against all" in Sunday's run-off poll, in a sign of the disillusionment five years after the Orange Revolution. Some 1.2 percent of ballots were spoiled, the election commission said.

Profile: Viktor Yanukovich

Turnout was 69 percent.

The Orange Revolution swept uncompromisingly pro-Western President Viktor Yushchenko to power and created hopes of a new beginning in the strategic state of 46 million people wedged between Russia and the European Union.

But the dreams crumbled amid political infighting and a dire economic crisis and the new president appears set to take Ukraine on a path to better ties with Russia.

In a victory speech late Sunday, Yanukovich said the election had opened a "new page" in Ukraine's history and he would do everything to make sure all Ukrainians felt "comfortable and safe".

Ukraine is split between a Russian-speaking east, which is Yanukovich's stronghold, and the more nationalist Ukrainian-speaking west that backed Tymoshenko.

Profile: Yulia Tymoshenko

Tymoshenko, who had previously vowed to mobilise street protests if she detected fraud, maintained a conspicuous silence on Monday with her aides twice cancelling announced press conferences.

But the international observers were fulsome in their praise for a "transparent and honest" election.

Related article: Orange flame dims, but still alight

In an implicit call for Tymoshenko to concede, Joao Soares, special coordinator of the OSCE short-term observers, said: "It is now time for the country?s political leaders to listen to the people?s verdict."

The Orange Revolution was unleashed after Yanukovich was declared the winner of the 2004 presidential election. Thousands poured into the streets to protest vote fraud and Kremlin meddling in the election.

Related article: Anger and broken dreams as Ukraine votes

After the protests, Ukraine's supreme court threw out Yanukovich's victory as fraudulent and ordered a re-run, which he lost to Yushchenko. This time, Yushchenko was eliminated in the first round.

But Yanukovich has in the last years emphasised Ukraine's ties with Europe in a bid to shed his reputation as a Kremlin puppet. EU foreign affairs chief Catherine Ashton said the bloc was ready to work with him.

"The European Union remains committed to deepening the relationship with Ukraine and supporting it in implementing its reform agenda. It looks forward to working with the new president to this end," Ashton said.

During the election campaign, the media-savvy Tymoshenko made a striking contrast to the wooden Yanukovich, who drew ridicule for his inarticulate speech and was criticised for his criminal record.

Yanukovich also served prison time for theft and assault in the Soviet era in convictions that were later erased.

But with Ukraine's GDP shrinking 15 percent last year due to the economic crisis, many Ukrainians had issues on their minds other than the rhetorical skills of the candidates.

AFP