Ukrainian Politician Andriy Parubiy Shot Dead in Lviv Attack

A prominent Ukrainian politician was shot dead Saturday in what authorities are calling a “carefully planned” attack in the western city of Lviv.

Andriy Parubiy, a nationalist lawmaker and former chair of Ukraine’s parliament, was gunned down with a short-barreled firearm and died before medical crews could reach him, according to regional officials. The assailant, who fled the scene, has not yet been identified.

Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky condemned the killing as a “horrendous murder,” emphasizing that it was carried out with deliberate preparation. European leaders, including European Parliament President Roberta Metsola, also expressed condolences, calling the assassination deeply shocking.

Parubiy, 54, had been active in Ukrainian politics since the collapse of the Soviet Union. He co-founded the Social-National Party of Ukraine in 1991, later moved on to other political roles, and served as a member of parliament since 2007. He rose to prominence during the Orange Revolution in 2004 and later became a leading figure in the Maidan protests of 2013-2014, helping organize demonstrations in Kyiv’s Independence Square.

In 2014, Parubiy was appointed secretary of Ukraine’s National Security and Defense Council. He remained influential in shaping national policy, including signing a 2019 law that made the use of the Ukrainian language mandatory in certain public sectors.

Colleagues and former leaders voiced grief and outrage. Fellow MP Iryna Gerashchenko labeled the killing an act of terrorism, while former president Petro Poroshenko said the attack was not only against a person but also “a shot at the heart of Ukraine.”

The investigation remains underway as authorities search for the gunman.

Credit: CNN Newsource

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