Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko arrived unexpectedly at a polling station in Kramatorsk today as part of a surprise visit to soldiers fighting Russian separatists in the east of the country, in an area he described as a zone of "anti-terrorist operation".

Poroshenko did not vote at the polling station, but greeted workers and soldiers voting in the country's parliamentary elections.

The elections are likely to install a pro-Western parliament and strengthen President Petro Poroshenko's mandate to end separatist conflict in the east, but may fuel tension with Russia.

Voting started on a cold but sunny morning in Kiev in the first parliamentary election since street protests in the capital last winter forced Moscow-backed leader Viktor Yanukovich to flee and ushered in a pro-Europe leadership under Poroshenko.