The Halytsky District Court in Lviv, western Ukraine, tried the suspect in the murder of Andriy Parubiy, former speaker of the Ukrainian parliament from 2016 to 2019, on 3/9/2025. The Ukrainian prosecutor's office has not revealed the suspect's identity, although officials allowed media to attend the hearing.
"Yes, I killed him. This was a personal act of revenge against the government. I want a speedy trial so I can be included in a prisoner exchange, go to Russia to find my son's body," the 52-year-old suspect told the court.
The suspect denied any connection with Russian intelligence, explaining that he chose Parubiy because the former speaker "happened to be nearby". He added that he would have been "ready to act" if he had encountered other politicians, such as former President Petro Poroshenko.
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The suspect (center) in the assassination of Andriy Parubiy is escorted into the courtroom on 2/9. Photo: Reuters |
The suspect (center) in the assassination of Andriy Parubiy is escorted into the courtroom on 2/9. Photo: Reuters
Ukrainian media reported that the suspect's son had joined the army and been killed in action, but the prosecutor's office said this information is "awaiting verification".
Parubiy, 54, was killed while walking on a sidewalk in Lviv on 30/8. Security camera footage shows the suspect waiting near parked cars. As Parubiy walked by, the suspect quickly approached from behind, drew a gun, and shot him. The suspect then ran across the street and fled.
According to the prosecutor's office, the suspect fled into the forest, burned his clothes, and destroyed the bicycle he used to approach Parubiy. Investigators arrested him in Khmelnytsky province a day later. The prosecutor's office ordered him held for 60 days for investigation.
The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU), the national police, and the Prosecutor General's Office suspect Russian intelligence may be behind the assassination, but have not released any concrete evidence.
The assassination shocked Ukrainian politics as Parubiy was an influential figure who played a key role in the 2014 Maidan events. A nationalist, Parubiy became a member of Poroshenko's European Solidarity party in 2019.
Thanh Danh (CNN, Reuters, Ukrinform)
