MOSCOW: A Russian opinion poll suggests that Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko will face a tough fight for second place in Sunday's presidential election and might even lose out to independent candidate Serhiy Tyhypko.

The poll conducted in Ukrainian cities by state-run Russian pollster VTsIOM showed that former Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovich will coast to a first round victory with 30.5 percent.

He would be followed by Tyhypko, a former central bank chief, with 14.4 percent. Tymoshenko followed with 13.9 percent, according to the Russian pollster.