Russia"s Ambassador to Ukraine, Mikhail...

After the first round of the presidential elections in Ukraine, which Yushchenko lost with slightly over 5% of the vote, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev ordered Zurabov to formally assume office in Kiev.

Earlier on Friday, Russian daily Kommersant said Moscow and Kiev could be plunged into a new diplomatic row with Ukraine"s presidential administration, which is insisting the new Russian ambassador"s credentials should not be accepted as they do not contain the name of the Ukrainian president, Viktor Yushchenko.

Ukraine"s presidential administration said the absence of the president"s name in Zurabov"s documents is a "violation of all diplomatic norms" and an attempt "to humiliate" Yuschehnko, who is still president, Kommersant reported.

A deputy head of the presidential administration, Andriy Honcharuk, told the paper he "hopes Moscow will observe the rules."

Zurabov, a former health minister, can start performing his ambassadorial duties after the

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