Police open over 30 criminal cases on election day in Ukraine

Police have opened more than 30 criminal proceedings on the day of the election of the Ukrainian president.

Head of the National Police Serhiy Kniazev said this at a final press conference on Sunday, according to an Ukrinform correspondent.

"As of 20:00, we have 1,927 applications and reports. The lion's share, or 95%, includes reports from election commissions […] regarding certain offenses or other events related to the electoral law. Thirty-one criminal proceedings have been initiated," Kniazev said.

According to him, the greatest number of applications and reports related to the election process – over 280 – were registered in Dnipropetrovsk region, 238 in Kyiv city, 182 in Donetsk region, 179 in Odesa region, and 176 in Kharkiv region.

"These facts are mostly connected, in the opinion of the applicants, with illegal campaigning, photographing of ballot papers, bribing of voters, damaging of ballot papers, fake bomb threats, and attempts to bring a ballot out of a polling station," Kniazev said.

The presidential election was held in Ukraine on March 31.