Former Ukrainian speaker Andriy Parubiy, a key figure in the Euromaidan protests, was shot dead in Lviv. Image: The US Sun.
(The Post News)– A suspect has been held over the killing of former Ukrainian parliament speaker Andriy Parubiy, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed on Monday.
Parubiy, 54, was killed with a shot on Saturday in Lviv, whose murder Zelenskyy called “horrific” and “a matter of national security during the war.” “The suspect gave the first testimony,” Zelenskyy wrote on Telegram. “Investigations are in great haste to uncover each and every detail. All the circumstances of this crime should be made public.”
Ukraine’s Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko told police they apprehended the suspect overnight in the Khmelnytskyi region. Detectives, he said, uncovered evidence pointing to the fact that the killer followed Parubiy’s itinerary, planned his routes, and had an escape route planned. “This is not a haphazard crime,” Klymenko said. “This was an assassination very well-planned.”
Lviv police chief Oleksandr Shliakhovskyi told media representatives the attacker fired about eight shots at Parubiy before fleeing on an electric bicycle.
Ukraine’s national TV broadcaster Suspilne, citing police sources, reported the gunman had feigned working for a food courier. Glovo, one of the couriers, said it was “deeply shocked” to learn of the news and pledged to cooperate with the authorities.
Unconfirmed video footage on the web appeared to depict a man in a courier uniform following Parubiy and lifting a gun before firing. Local media also posted photos from the scene, which showed a body on the ground, but their authenticity has yet to be independently confirmed.
Parubiy’s Life in Protest and Politics
Born in western Ukraine and trained as a historian, Parubiy spent his life working towards Ukrainian independence. He was an activist who participated in the fight for the nation to break away from the Soviet Union and subsequently became a campaigner for the Ukrainian language.
He emerged in the 2004 Orange Revolution and the 2013-2014 Euromaidan protests after he commanded self-defense units that protected protesters in Kyiv. Ukrainian media have previously reported that he survived a 2014 grenade assassination attempt.
After pro-Russian President Viktor Yanukovych’s departure to Russia, Parubiy briefly held the position of secretary of the National Security and Defence Council. He was elected parliamentary speaker in 2016, a position he held until 2019. During this time, he was a central figure in guiding legislation as Ukraine struggled with Russian-backed separatists in the east.
Ukrainian politicians soon also paid tribute to Parubiy after the announcement of his death. Hale organizes a rally in solidarity with Ukrainian individuals. Former President Petro Poroshenko, who was in power from 2014 to 2019, called him a “brother-in-arms” and said, “It was an attempt on the heart of Ukraine. The enemy does not succeed in killing the ideas Andriy lived and fought for.”
Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko dedicated him as a “patriot who determined our country’s course toward independence.” Current parliament speaker Ruslan Stefanchuk called Parubiy “one of the founders of modern Ukraine.”
Legislators on both sides concurred, with Iryna Gerashchenko writing that Parubiy “committed his life to the independence of Ukraine” from a young age. Gerashchenko also said that Parubiy’s struggle became their “common struggle.”
Suspicions of Russian Hand
Authorities haven’t yet confirmed a motive, but Ukrainian officials bluntly fingered Russia. Since Moscow started its full-scale invasion in 2022, both Russia and Ukraine have accused each other of political and military commander assassinations.
Parubiy’s assassination has revived security concerns in western Ukraine, a region that was considered distant from the frontlines. Zelenskyy vowed to bring justice, highlighting the fact that investigators will “use all necessary forces and means” to hold the murderers responsible. He aslo declared that Parubiy’s “vile murder will not go unpunished.”
About the Author
Discover more from The Post News
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
