Ukraine mourns slain ex-speaker Parubiy

Mourners in Lviv paid tribute to veteran politician Andriy Parubiy following his burial after a daytime shooting that killed him. Parubiy, 54, a native of Lviv who rose from nationalist activism to become a key figure in the 2014 Maidan uprising and later served as parliamentary speaker, was shot in public; the alleged gunman, a 52‑year‑old Ukrainian from Khmelnytskyi, has been detained and told a court he carried out the killing as “my personal revenge.” He said he sought inclusion in a prisoner swap to recover the body of his son, a soldier killed in the war, and denied being recruited by Russia. Police, however, have said they suspect Russian involvement; Moscow has not responded to the allegation.

Surveillance footage shown by authorities reportedly captured an assailant disguised as a delivery courier approaching Parubiy from behind and firing multiple shots before fleeing on an electric bike. A Lviv court placed the suspect in 60 days’ custody pending investigation. In courtroom footage broadcast on television, the suspect admitted the shooting but did not explain motives beyond his stated desire related to his son.

The assassination has reverberated across Ukraine. Hundreds of citizens attended the funeral procession outside St. George’s Cathedral and Parubiy was buried at Lychakiv Cemetery, where politicians and veterans, including former commander Valerii Zaluzhnyi, paid respects. Tributes highlighted Parubiy’s role as a staunch pro‑Western advocate who helped organize Maidan self‑defense units in 2014, later steering parliamentary efforts to deepen Ukraine’s ties with the EU and NATO during his 2016–2019 chairmanship.

Authorities noted that the killing follows the July 2024 public shooting in Lviv of nationalist MP Iryna Farion, for which an 18‑year‑old is on trial. Police have said they do not immediately see a connection between the cases, but some local residents and observers fear a pattern tied to Russia’s disinformation and covert operations aimed at destabilizing Ukrainian society during the full‑scale war. The combination of high‑profile assassinations has intensified concerns about security in rear areas and underscored the vulnerability of prominent defenders of Ukraine’s European orientation even far from front lines. Investigators continue to probe possible external links, motive and any wider conspiratorial network.