Yanukovych opens door to Russian navy keeping base in Ukraine | Top Russian news and analysis online | 'RIA Novosti' newswire: “Viktor Yanukovych, the expected next Ukrainian president, says he cannot rule out Russia’s Black Sea Fleet remaining in Ukraine after its lease on the Sevastopol naval base expires in 2017.
Preliminary results showed Yanukovych narrowly winning Ukraine’s presidential election, and although the official count has not been released he has been congratulated by world leaders including the Russian and U.S. presidents.
The Party of Regions leader is expected to move Ukraine away from the determinedly pro-Western stance of President Viktor Yushchenko, who vowed that Russia would have to find a new main base for its Black Sea Fleet once the current deal expires.”