Thousands of supporters of Ukraine's former Prime Minister Yanukovych demonstrated in east Ukraine on Monday as the country's Supreme Court started a hearing of his final appeal over the result of a re-run presidential election.
About 5,000 protestors held signs which read "Yanukovych, our president" in the easter Ukrainian city of Donetsk.
They have set up more than 60 tents in the city's Lenin Square, protesting at the results of the Dec. 26 presidential run-off, of which Yanukovych's rival Viktor Yushchenko was declared winner.
In Kiev, the 21 justices of the Supreme Court's civil chamber met Monday to hear the case.
Yanukovych is asking for a re-run on the grounds of fraud.
He accused the court of favoritism on Monday, saying he and millions of his voters "have been effectively deprived of their right to justice."
If Yanukovich's appeal is rejected, the parliament will set a date for the inauguration of Yushchenko, putting an end to the two- month political uncertainty in the country.
The final results announced by the Central Election Commission showed that Yushchenko had won with 52 percent of the votes as against Yanukovich's 44 percent.