Ukrainian Transport Minister Heorhiy Kirpa, a supporter of the trailing candidate in Sunday’s presidential election, apparently killed himself, an official said today.

Ukraine’s opposition leader Viktor Yushchenko basked in his unassailable lead today as prime minister Viktor Yanukovych refused to admit defeat, with just tens of thousands of ballots left to be counted in the bitterly-fought presidential election.

VIKTOR Yushchenko's triumphant announcement of a new democratic era in Ukraine was overshadowed last night by the mysterious death of a cabinet minister and the refusal of his opponent to accept the result.