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| Ukraine comic v oligarch presidential election debate begins | |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Ukraine's rival presidential candidates have begun a long-awaited head-to-head televised debate at Kiev's giant Olympic stadium. | |
| Comedian Volodymyr Zelensky is the clear favourite for Sunday's second-round vote, according to opinion polls. | Comedian Volodymyr Zelensky is the clear favourite for Sunday's second-round vote, according to opinion polls. |
| His rival, incumbent president Petro Poroshenko, argues that Mr Zelensky is a political novice unfit for such a demanding job. | His rival, incumbent president Petro Poroshenko, argues that Mr Zelensky is a political novice unfit for such a demanding job. |
| But many Ukrainians are fed up with cronyism and corruption. | But many Ukrainians are fed up with cronyism and corruption. |
| Mr Zelensky has relied on a slick social media campaign to tap into the frustration of many younger Ukrainians with establishment politicians. | Mr Zelensky has relied on a slick social media campaign to tap into the frustration of many younger Ukrainians with establishment politicians. |
| The debate in the capital's 70,000-seat stadium will be the first and only direct clash between the two rivals in the campaign. | |
| The stadium has been divided into two halves for the debate, with a stage for each candidate to speak from at each end of the pitch. | |
| However Mr Poroshenko and Mr Zelensky are giving their opening statements from the same stage. | |
| As the candidates arrived, Mr Poroshenko's supporters in the stadium appeared to outnumber Mr Zelensky's. | |
| Mr Zelensky's links to billionaire oligarch Ihor Kolomoisky - a leading opponent of Mr Poroshenko - have led some to question the comedian's credibility as a true "outsider" candidate. | Mr Zelensky's links to billionaire oligarch Ihor Kolomoisky - a leading opponent of Mr Poroshenko - have led some to question the comedian's credibility as a true "outsider" candidate. |
| The debate was agreed more than a week ago, but they disagreed over the date for it. | The debate was agreed more than a week ago, but they disagreed over the date for it. |
| On 14 April Mr Poroshenko turned up at the stadium and used Mr Zelensky's absence as an opportunity to answer journalists' questions and attack the comedian. | On 14 April Mr Poroshenko turned up at the stadium and used Mr Zelensky's absence as an opportunity to answer journalists' questions and attack the comedian. |
| Earlier, Mr Zelensky had set a surprise condition for holding such a debate: they must both undergo blood tests to detect any drugs or alcohol. Both were then photographed separately giving blood samples. | Earlier, Mr Zelensky had set a surprise condition for holding such a debate: they must both undergo blood tests to detect any drugs or alcohol. Both were then photographed separately giving blood samples. |
| Mr Zelensky is a dollar millionaire, thanks to his popular comedy series and other acting roles, while Mr Poroshenko is a billionaire who got rich through confectionery and TV businesses. | Mr Zelensky is a dollar millionaire, thanks to his popular comedy series and other acting roles, while Mr Poroshenko is a billionaire who got rich through confectionery and TV businesses. |