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WALESA SPEAKS
With the West indignant over the election row, former Polish President Lech Walesa addressed crowds in the square. He told them Poland would give them moral support but they would have to conduct their struggle themselves.
Outgoing President Leonid Kuchma, who endorsed Yanukovich in the campaign, has warned Ukraine could plunge into civil war and urged the West to stay out of the country's affairs.
Lithuania said Kuchma had asked it to act as a moderator.
Kiev's Independence Square and its main roads were again paralysed by the mass protests as people of varying ages and from different areas of Ukraine converged on the city centre. Some waved the national blue-and-yellow flag, but the dominant colour was orange -- Yushchenko's campaign colours.
Yanukovich sees closer ties with Russia as the key to future prosperity, while Yushchenko, popular in western and central regions, wants to move closer to the West while recognising Moscow as a "strategic partner".
Yanukovich referred to himself as president on television on Wednesday and pledged to meet Yushchenko to "look for common ground". Under law, his inauguration must take place within 30 days of poll results being published in the official gazette.
The West has made clear to Ukraine that it regards the election as fraudulent. Apart from the sharp EU criticism, the United States has warned Ukraine there could be consequences for their relationship.
Canada, whose one million residents of Ukrainian background give it political leverage in Kiev, also rejected the outcome.
