KIEV, Dec. 7 – The opposition Batkivshchyna party on Wednesday suddenly reshuffled its leadership in Parliament following a failed attempt to negotiate with pro-government groups the release of jailed party leader Yulia Tymoshenko.

Ivan Kyrylenko, a long-time leader of the Batkivshchyna faction in Parliament, was replaced with Andriy Kozhemiakin, Adam Martyniuk, a deputy speaker of Parliament, announced.

Kozhemiakin, a security service agent by training, was once a senior official at SBU. He is regarded as one of the most influential allies of Tymoshenko.