KIEV, June 2 (RIA Novosti) - A recent public opinion poll gave the head of Ukraine's main opposition party, Viktor Yanukovych, a 10% lead over rivals in presidential elections scheduled for next January, the Unian agency said on Tuesday.

The survey conducted by the independent pollster Public Opinion (Ukraine) Foundation said the former prime minister and Party of Regions leader Yanukovich enjoyed the support of 26.6% of respondents.

Current premier Yulia Tymoshenko and ex-parliamentary speaker Arseniy Yatsenyuk remain his closest rivals with 16.2% and 12.8%, respectively, according to the survey.

President Viktor Yushchenko, who has also announced plans to run for a second term, polled a miniscule 1.9%.

Tymoshenko's ratings have fallen due to her protracted dispute with Yushchenko as many believe it has contributed to the country's current political and economic instability.

Then close allies, Yushchenko and Tymoshenko defeated Yanukovych in the 2004 "Orange Revolution" that followed a contested presidential poll.

Millionaire businessman Yatsenyuk, 34, who also served as economics minister and foreign minister, has enjoyed increasingly growing popularity ratings in recent months.

Direct presidential elections, however, could be cancelled in the ex-Soviet republic as bitter rivals Yanukovych and Tymoshenko are reported to be in coalition talks in an attempt to try and overcome the current political and economic turmoil, with a president being elected through a parliamentary vote.

The survey was conducted on May 17-26 among a sample of 1,000 respondents.