Lviv, Ukraine (BN24) — Andriy Parubiy, the former speaker of the Ukrainian parliament and a key leader in the Euromaidan protests, was shot dead in the western city of Lviv on Saturday, officials confirmed.
Unverified video footage of the incident shows a man, dressed as a courier, approaching Parubiy from behind and firing several shots before fleeing the scene. Authorities have launched an extensive manhunt for the gunman.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky condemned the attack as a “terrible murder” and offered condolences to Parubiy’s family. “All necessary forces and means are being deployed,” Zelensky said in a statement, adding that a special operation, codenamed Siren, has been initiated to track down the suspect.
Prosecutors reported that the assailant fired multiple shots at Parubiy, 54, who died on the spot. Lviv police chief Oleksandr Shliakhovskyi said the gunman fired about eight rounds, though the type of firearm used has yet to be identified. Shliakhovskyi described the attack as “very carefully planned.”
Lviv’s chief prosecutor, Mykola Meret, stated that investigators are considering all possible motives, including potential Russian involvement. Seven shell casings were found at the scene, and sources said the attacker appeared to be posing as a courier for the delivery company Glovo, carrying a yellow bag and riding an e-bike at the time of the attack.
A spokeswoman for Glovo expressed “deep shock” over the crime and vowed the company would fully cooperate with investigators.
Parubiy was a pivotal figure in the 2014 Euromaidan protests, which led to the ouster of pro-Russian President Viktor Yanukovych. Parubiy helped organize and lead the protestors’ self-defense units in Kyiv, which protected the protest camp from violent crackdowns by Ukrainian riot police.
After Yanukovych’s removal, Parubiy held multiple key roles in Ukraine’s government, including Secretary of the National Security and Defence Council. He played an instrumental role during Russia’s annexation of Crimea and the war in eastern Ukraine, and he later joined Ukraine’s Territorial Defence Forces following Russia’s 2022 invasion.
Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha called Parubiy “a patriot and statesman,” emphasizing his immense contribution to Ukraine’s fight for independence. Former President Petro Poroshenko condemned the killing, calling it “a shot fired at the heart of Ukraine.”
The investigation into Parubiy’s murder is ongoing, with authorities vowing to bring those responsible to justice.
Credit: BBC
