Viktor Yushchenko, Ukraine's former prime minister has won the first round of voting to choose a successor to President Leonid Kuchma, an exit poll showed. Yushchenko who is seeking to bring the country closer to the European Union took 45.2% of the vote, according to polls released after the end of balloting by an independent group including the Democratic Initiatives and Socis center. Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych, who has the backing of Kuchma and Russian President Vladimir Putin, probably won 36.8% of the vote in the first round, the exits showed. Official results are expected Monday morning in this country of 47 million population and a second round will be held November 21 between the top two finalists.