Image: by @angelshalagina X
By Staff Writer | Open Chronicle with Agencies
In a shocking development amid Ukraine’s ongoing challenges, former Speaker of the Ukrainian Parliament Andriy Parubiy has been assassinated in the western city of Lviv. The 54-year-old prominent politician, known for his pivotal role in the country’s pro-Western revolutions, was gunned down in broad daylight, prompting widespread condemnation and a full-scale investigation by Ukrainian authorities.
Details of the Assassination
The incident occurred around noon local time in Lviv’s Frankivskyi district, a southern area of the city near the Polish border. According to reports from the National Police of Ukraine, emergency services received a call about a shooting, and Parubiy was pronounced dead at the scene due to multiple gunshot wounds. Unconfirmed sources, including local broadcaster Suspilne and the Kyiv Independent, indicate that the assailant arrived on an electric bicycle, disguised as a delivery courier, possibly from a service like Glovo, and fired several shots before fleeing. The Prosecutor General’s Office has confirmed that the attacker escaped, and a special operation named “Siren” has been launched to apprehend the suspect.
Lviv Oblast Governor Maksym Kozytskyi was among the first officials to report the killing publicly, stating that Parubiy died before paramedics could arrive. The investigation involves multiple agencies, including the National Police’s Main Investigation Department, the Lviv Regional Police, and the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU). As of now, no motive has been officially stated, but the timing and method suggest a targeted hit.
Official Reactions and Tributes
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed the news in a statement on Telegram and X (formerly Twitter), describing the event as a “horrendous murder.” “The Minister of Internal Affairs Ihor Klymenko and Prosecutor General Ruslan Kravchenko have just reported the first known circumstances of the terrible murder in Lviv. Andriy Parubiy was killed. My condolences to his family and loved ones. All necessary forces and means are engaged in the investigation and search for the killer,” Zelenskyy wrote. He emphasized that Ukraine would deploy every resource to ensure justice.
Tributes poured in from across the political spectrum. Former President Petro Poroshenko, whose European Solidarity party Parubiy represented as a current member of parliament, called it “a shot at the heart of Ukraine.” In a Telegram post, Poroshenko said, “Andriy was a great man and a true friend. That is why they take revenge, that is what they are afraid of. This crime is not just shots fired at a person. It is a shot at the army. It is a shot at the language. It is a shot at faith.” He praised Parubiy’s contributions to building Ukraine’s armed forces.
Parliament Speaker Ruslan Stefanchuk expressed condolences on behalf of the Verkhovna Rada, noting Parubiy’s lifelong dedication to Ukraine’s independence: “He was one of the active participants in the national democratic movement in the late 80s, the commandant of the Maidan Self-Defense during the Revolution of Dignity, and a consistent defender of Ukrainian statehood.” Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha described him as “a patriot and statesman who made an enormous contribution to the defence of Ukraine’s freedom, independence and sovereignty,” adding that Parubiy “rightfully belongs in the history books.”
Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko called it a “profound loss” and urged a swift investigation. Lviv Mayor Andriy Sadovyi stressed the urgency, stating on Telegram, “This is a matter of security in a country at war, where, as we can see, there are no completely safe places.” Lawmaker Iryna Herashchenko from European Solidarity confirmed the victim’s identity to the Kyiv Independent and shared a statement from the party expressing shock.