KIEV, Feb 22 (Reuters) - Ukrainian lawmakers elected a close ally of jailed opposition leader Yulia Tymoshenko to the powerful post of parliament speaker on Saturday, replacing a loyalist of embattled President Viktor Yanukovich.
Oleksander Turchynov is a senior member of Tymoshenko's Fatherland party. He was elected by 288 votes in the 450-seat parliament.
(Reporting by Pavel Polityuk; Writing by Matt Robinson)
Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.
