Meanwhile, Yanukovich's Lead Even Smaller

Ukrainian opposition leader Viktor Yushchenko declared victory in an "orange revolution" on Friday after the ex-Soviet state's top judges annulled a rigged election and ordered a new vote on Dec. 26.

The Supreme Court ruling is a slap in the face for Russian leader Vladimir Putin, who only on Thursday met outgoing Ukrainian President Leonid Kuchma and said he was right to oppose a re-run of the poll's final round last month.

The crisis following the election battle between Western- oriented Yushchenko and Moscow-backed Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovich has plunged Ukraine into turmoil and kindled distrust between Russia and the West.