Comedian takes commanding lead in Ukraine presidential vote

Ukrainian comic actor and presidential candidate Volodymyr Zelenskiy flashes a victory sign following the announcement of the first exit poll in a presidential election at his campaign headquarters in Kiev, Ukraine March 31, 2019. REUTERS/Valentyn Ogirenko

KIEV (Reuters) - A comedian with no political experience took a commanding lead in the first round of Ukraine's presidential election, offering a fresh face to voters fed up with corruption in a country on the front line of the West's standoff with Russia.

With 94 percent of votes counted late on Monday, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, a 41-year-old comic who plays a teacher-turned-president in a popular TV series, had won 30 percent.