Showman and comedian Volodymyr Zelensky has cemented his dominant position after the first round of Ukraine’s presidential elections.

With more than 95 per cent of precincts reporting, Mr Zelensky’s 30.25 per cent share was almost twice that of runner-up Petro Poroshenko, who polled just 15.94 per cent.

Given the margin of victory, the incumbent president now faces a battle for his political life and legacy. It is expected Mr Poroshenko will draw on every ounce of the cunning that helped him squeeze Yulia Tymoshenko into third place (13.39 per cent).

Ms Tymoshenko’s exit was the drama of the weekend, with the former prime minister refusing to accept defeat and the likely end of her own presidential ambitions.

Speaking after the release of the exit polls, she promised to dispute the count once a final result was clear. But on Monday, as the hours ticked on and the ballots mounted, hopes of her making a credible claim to second position faded. While final results may be days away, it is now inconceivable that she will be able to close the gap.

The Independent understands Ms Tymoshenko will make an announcement on Tuesday in which she may avoid officially endorsing either election campaign.

Ukraine Elections 2019 in pictures Show all 26 1 /26 Ukraine Elections 2019 in pictures Ukraine Elections 2019 in pictures Volodymyr Zelenskiy, centre right, and his wife Olena Zelenska, greet supporters after exit polling gave the comedian a commanding lead AP Ukraine Elections 2019 in pictures Outgoing Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko raises his hand with his wife Maryna at his party headquarters in Kiev AFP/Getty Images Ukraine Elections 2019 in pictures Ukrainian presidential candidate Volodymyr Zelenskiy reacts following the announcement of the first exit poll REUTERS Ukraine Elections 2019 in pictures Comedian and leading Ukrainian presidential candidate Volodymyr Zelenskiy plays ping pong with a journalist at his election night gathering in Kiev, Ukraine. If no candidate receives more than 50% of the vote, the top two vote-getters will face off in a second-round election on April 21 Getty Ukraine Elections 2019 in pictures Election officials count ballots at a polling station in Kiev during the first round of Ukraine's presidential election, AFP/Getty Ukraine Elections 2019 in pictures People walk in front of St. Sophia Cathedral in Kiev during Ukraine's presidential election AFP/Getty Ukraine Elections 2019 in pictures Ukrainian servicemen sit in a truck to head to a polling station, near the front line with pro-Russian separatists, near Butivka, Donetsk region AFP/Getty Ukraine Elections 2019 in pictures Ukrainian citizens living in Kyrgyzstan vote in Ukraine's presidential election at a polling station in the Ukrainian embassy in Bishke AFP/Getty Ukraine Elections 2019 in pictures Ukrainian citizens living in Kyrgyzstan vote in Ukraine's presidential election at a polling station in the Ukrainian embassy in Bishkek AFP/Getty Ukraine Elections 2019 in pictures Ukrainian citizens living in Kyrgyzstan vote in Ukraine's presidential election at a polling station in the Ukrainian embassy in Bishkek AFP/Getty Ukraine Elections 2019 in pictures Ukrainian citizens living in Kyrgyzstan vote in Ukraine's presidential election at a polling station in the Ukrainian embassy in Bishkek AFP/Getty Ukraine Elections 2019 in pictures A young girl casts the ballot of a man at a polling station in Kiev on the first round of Ukraine's presidential election, on. Exit polls are expected when voting stations close at 8 pm local time (1700 GMT). First preliminary results are expected several hours after. Barring a shock result in which one candidate crosses the 50 percent threshold in the first round, a run-off will be held on April 2 AFP/Getty Ukraine Elections 2019 in pictures Ukrainian comic actor, showman and presidential candidate Volodymyr Zelensky waves in front of voting booths at a polling station during Ukraine's presidential election in Kiev AFP/Getty Ukraine Elections 2019 in pictures Former Ukrainian Prime Minister and presidential candidate Yulia Tymoshenko speaks with the media after casting her ballot at a polling station during Ukraine's presidential election in Kiev AFP/Getty Ukraine Elections 2019 in pictures Former Ukrainian Prime Minister and presidential candidate Yulia Tymoshenko speaks with the media after casting her ballot at a polling station during Ukraine's presidential election in Kiev AFP/Getty Ukraine Elections 2019 in pictures Former Ukrainian Prime Minister and presidential candidate Yulia Tymoshenko speaks with the media after casting her ballot at a polling station during Ukraine's presidential election in Kiev AFP/Getty Ukraine Elections 2019 in pictures Ukrainian comic actor, showman and presidential candidate Volodymyr Zelensky casts his ballot at a polling station during Ukraine's presidential election in Kiev AFP/Getty Ukraine Elections 2019 in pictures Ukrainian comic actor, showman and presidential candidate Volodymyr Zelensky gestures in front of voting booths at a polling station during Ukraine's presidential election in Kiev AFP/Getty Images Ukraine Elections 2019 in pictures Ukrainian comic actor, showman and presidential candidate Volodymyr Zelensky walks with his ballot at a polling station during Ukraine's presidential election in Kiev AFP/Getty Images Ukraine Elections 2019 in pictures A view of the building of the Ukrainian Central Election Commission in Kiev during Ukraine's presidential election. AFP/Getty Ukraine Elections 2019 in pictures Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko (L) casts his ballot at a polling station in Kiev on the first round of Ukraine's presidential election, The 53-year-old president has positioned himself during the political campaign as the only person able to stand up to the Kremlin and has promised to return Crimea to Ukraine if he is re-elected. AFP/Getty Ukraine Elections 2019 in pictures A voter emerges from the voting booth after filling out her ballot for Ukraine's presidential election in Kiev, Ukraine. If no candidate receives more than 50% of the vote, the top two vote-getters will face off in a second-round election on April 21. Getty Ukraine Elections 2019 in pictures Ukrainian president Petro O. Poroshenko (C), running for re-election, receives his ballot in Ukraine's presidential election on in Kiev, Ukraine. If no candidate receives more than 50% of the vote, the top two vote-getters will face off in a second-round election on April 21 Getty Ukraine Elections 2019 in pictures A woman holds her ballot as she leaves a voting booth at a polling station in Kiev on the first round of Ukraine's presidential election. - Exit polls are expected when voting stations close at 8 pm local time (1700 GMT). First preliminary results are expected several hours after. Barring a shock result in which one candidate crosses the 50 percent threshold in the first round, a run-off will be held on April 21 AFP/Getty Ukraine Elections 2019 in pictures A young girl casts the ballot of a man at a polling station in Kiev on the first round of Ukraine's presidential election. Exit polls are expected when voting stations close at 8 pm local time (1700 GMT). First preliminary results are expected several hours after. Barring a shock result in which one candidate crosses the 50 percent threshold in the first round, a run-off will be held on April 21 AFP/Getty Ukraine Elections 2019 in pictures Ukrainian servicemen queue to cast their ballots at a polling station near the front line line with pro-Russian separatists near Avdiivka, Donetsk region, during the first round of Ukraine's presidential election AFP/Getty

It is as yet unclear what form, if any, her legal challenge will take.

Privately, her supporters admit that focus will now switch to parliamentary elections in September, a vote that may prove as crucial in determining the future balance of power in Ukraine.

International observers painted a largely positive picture of the elections as broadly competitive, free and peaceful. Ilkka Kanerva, leader of the OSCE observer mission, said the competitive election had laid the groundwork for a vibrant second round.

But others drew attention to reports of vote buying and the use of government resources to influence the election.

Ms Tymoshenko’s supporters said Mr Poroshenko’s use of “election tricks” proved to be the deciding factor in the elections.

The former prime minister protested one-off payments to pro-Poroshenko “agitators” and the appearance of a candidate on the ballot paper with almost the same name as her own.

In the event, the 110,000 votes given to Yuri Tymoshenko were likely almost all given in error, and constituted 0.6 per cent of the vote.

“There may not have been significant violations on the day, but the abuse of technical candidates and budget resources easily accounts for the 2.5 per cent projected gap,” claimed Kateryna Odarchenko, a political consultant who worked on Ms Tymoshenko’s team. “People were literally handed $50 to agitate for Mr Poroshenko. Given the poverty in our country, that was a very weighty argument indeed.”

Ms Odarchenko said she expected Mr Poroshenko’s campaign to roll out the tactics on an even larger scale in an attempt to bridge the gap with Mr Zelensky.

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The initial outlines of the president’s attack strategy were already clear soon after polling closed. Mr Zelensky was funny, he said, but a novice who would crumble when faced with Vladimir Putin.

“It’s up to you who will be the country’s commander-in-chief and who will represent Ukraine in international meetings and, yes, in talks with Russia,” he said.

Mr Poroshenko also said the second round would be a showdown with the oligarch Ihor Kolomoisky, whose television channel runs Mr Zelensky’s show: “Fate has paired me – and I’m not shy of saying this – with Kolomoisky’s puppet. I won’t give them a single chance.”

He said that he would immediately begin campaigning for a second-round victory.