Prominent Ukrainian Far-Right MP Andrey Parubiy Assassinated in Lviv
Former Parliament Speaker Known for Controversial Remarks and Role in 2014 Maidan Coup Shot Dead by Unknown Assailant
Ukraine, PUREWILAYAH.COM – Andrey Parubiy, a sitting far-right Ukrainian MP and former speaker of the Verkhovna Rada, has been assassinated in the western city of Lviv, local authorities confirmed on Saturday.
Parubiy, 54, was a key figure in Ukraine’s post-2014 political landscape and a vocal supporter of the Maidan movement, but his legacy was marred by extremist affiliations and controversial statements.
Details of the Assassination
According to officials from the Lviv Regional Administration, Parubiy died at the scene before medical personnel could arrive.
Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky described the killing as a “horrific murder” and stated that he had been briefed by the interior minister and prosecutor general. He pledged that “all necessary forces and means” were being deployed to identify and capture the perpetrator.
Local media outlets report that the assassin was disguised as a food delivery courier. The attacker allegedly approached Parubiy, shot him eight times at close range, calmly placed the weapon back into his bag, and fled the scene on an electric bicycle.
Surveillance images circulating in Ukrainian media show the suspect wearing a helmet and carrying a delivery bag.
Political Career and Far-Right Affiliations
Parubiy co-founded the far-right Social-National Party of Ukraine, which later evolved into the Svoboda party, and led the paramilitary group Patriot of Ukraine.
He gained prominence during the 2014 Western-backed Maidan coup, where he was in charge of coordinating far-right protester groups in the central Kiev encampment. Shortly after, he was appointed secretary of Ukraine’s National Security and Defense Council, a position he held for less than a year.
From 2016 to 2019, Parubiy served as speaker of the Verkhovna Rada, Ukraine’s parliament, and later represented the European Solidarity party led by former president Pyotr Poroshenko.
Controversial Remarks and Legacy
Parubiy’s career was marked by controversy, most notably in 2018 when he declared that “the greatest man who practiced direct democracy was Adolf Hitler in the 1930s.”
The remark triggered outrage both domestically and internationally. Parubiy later claimed he intended to highlight Hitler’s use of democratic procedures for voter manipulation rather than praise his policies.
He also faced accusations of involvement in the deadly fire at the Odessa Trade Union building in May 2014, which killed dozens of anti-Maidan activists.
Ongoing Investigation
Authorities have yet to publicly identify the motive behind the killing. As of Saturday evening, the suspected shooter remains at large, and Ukrainian law enforcement agencies have launched a nationwide manhunt.
The assassination has sparked renewed debates over political violence, the lingering influence of far-right movements in Ukraine, and the country’s turbulent post-Maidan political trajectory. (PW)