Viktor Yanukovych, the leader of the opposition Party of Regions, is leading polls in Ukraine ahead of the January 17 presidential elections, according to a survey by the Ukraine Public Opinion Foundation.

"If the presidential elections had been held on November 29, then Viktor Yanukovych would have received 29.8% of the vote, and [Prime Minister] Yulia Tymoshenko - 14.8% of the vote," the pollster's chief, Alexander Bukhalov, told a news conference on Monday.

Former economics minister, Serhiy Tihipko, is placed third with 5.7% of the vote, followed by former parliamentary speaker Arseniy Yatsenyuk with 4.8% of the vote, and incumbent president Viktor Yushchenko with 4.3% of the vote.

Communist leader Petro Symonenko would have received the support of 2.9%, Supreme Rada Speaker Volodymyr Lytvyn - 2.5.

A total of 12.7% would choose the "against all" option.

In the runoff, 41% would cast their ballot for Yanukovych and 25.2% for Tymoshenko. A total of 20.7% of voters would choose the "against all" option.

The poll was carried out on November 22-30 and covered 1,000 respondents in 85 populated areas of Ukraine, with a margin of error below 3.2%.

Another survey by the same pollster shows that 40.4% of Ukrainians would like to see politicians seeking stronger ties with both Russia and Europe come to power. A total of 15.7% spoke in favor of pro-Russian foreign policy, while 6.6% of Ukrainians said they supported pro-Western politicians.

KIEV, December 7 (RIA Novosti)