FILE In this file photo taken on Friday, March 29, 2019, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, Ukrainian actor and candidate in the upcoming presidential election, hosts a comedy show at a concert hall in Brovary, Ukraine. Zelenskiy has no political experience, but his easygoing manner and snappy talk on the campaign trail strongly resembled his character in “Servant of the Peopleâ€, a schoolteacher catapulted into the presidential seat. (AP Photo/Efrem Lukatsky, File)
The Associated Press
KIEV, Ukraine (AP) - Ukraine's presidential candidates have taken alcohol and drug tests before a runoff vote.
Volodymyr Zelenskiy, a popular comedian who left President Petro Poroshenko far behind in Sunday's first round, had challenged the incumbent to take the test.
Poroshenko took the test Friday at Kiev Olimpiyskiy Stadium, the country's biggest arena where the two rivals are set to have their debate two days before the April 21 runoff.
Zelenskiy took the test at another lab, saying he doesn't trust the one at the sports arena.
Zelenskiy, who stars in a TV series about a teacher who becomes president after a video of him denouncing corruption goes viral, has made the fight against corruption the focus of his campaign. He won 30% of Sunday's vote, while Poroshenko got 16%.
FILE In this file photo taken on Sunday, March 31, 2019, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko gestures while speaking at his headquarters after the presidential election in Kiev, Ukraine. Over recent years Ukraine has suffered from an economic meltdown and alleged endemic corruption, which will be great challenges for whom ever wins the upcoming runoff presidential election in three weeks' time. (AP Photo/Efrem Lukatsky, File)
The Associated Press