Ukraine to hold snap parliamentary elections on Sunday

By Elena Teslova

MOSCOW (AA) - Ukraine will head to snap polls on Sunday to elect lawmakers after Volodymyr Zelensky dissolved the parliament, Verkhovna Rada, in May following his election as a new president.

Ukrainian Central Election Commission has registered lists of nominees from 22 political parties, 24,747 nominees in total.

Also 3,084 more candidates will compete in 199 single mandate districts.

The polls will not be held in Crimea, annexed by Russia in 2014, and in the east of Ukraine which is currently under control of the pro-Russian rebels.

According to the polls, 5 parties are expected to pass the 5 percent threshold.

Servant of the People Party, led by acting president Volodymyr Zelensky, is predicted to get 49.5% percent of votes.

Opposition Platform - For Life, which is considered as a pro-Russian party, is second with 10.5% of votes.

Former President Petro Poroshenko's party is expected to win 7.7%, while former prime minister Yuliya Tymoshenko's All-Ukrainian Union "Fatherland" Party can count on 6.9% of the vote.

Pop singer Svyatoslav Vakarchuk closes top-5, his Voice Party is said to receive 5.9% of the vote.

President Volodymyr Zelensky dissolved the Verkhovna Rada during his his swearing-in ceremony in May, triggering snap polls.