KIEV, March 28 ??“ A group loyal to former Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych has been emerging as the winner of election to local Parliament in Crimea, Ukraine??™s autonomous region, that may potentially strain relations with Kiev.

The group, known as For Yanukovych, was leading with 34.29% of the vote, Interfax-Ukraine reported Tuesday citing a local election commission official after 68.22% of ballots has been counted.