Prominent Ukrainian politician Andriy Parubiy shot dead in Lviv

Andriy Parubiy, a prominent Ukrainian politician and former parliamentary speaker, was assassinated in a targeted shooting in Lviv on August 30, 2025, sparking a nationwide manhunt and condemnation from domestic and international leaders. The attack occurred around midday in the Sykhiv district of Lviv, where Parubiy was shot multiple times with a short-barreled firearm and died instantly at the scene, with the perpetrator fleeing immediately. Ukrainian authorities, including the Security Service, launched an intensive investigation, describing the killing as a carefully planned assassination, though no suspects or motives have been identified yet. Parubiy, 54, was a current member of Ukraine’s parliament and had served as its speaker from 2016 to 2019, playing a pivotal role in the country’s pro-European movements, including the 2013-2014 Maidan revolution. His career began in the early 1990s with the co-founding of a nationalist party, and he was instrumental in Ukraine’s Orange Revolution and later as secretary of the National Security and Defense Council during the initial conflict with Russia. President Volodymyr Zelensky condemned the murder as “horrendous” on social media, pledging full resources to bring the killer to justice and emphasizing the attack’s impact on national security. European officials, such as EU Parliament President Roberta Metsola, expressed shock and offered condolences, highlighting Parubiy’s advocacy for Ukraine’s sovereignty and democratic values. Tributes from colleagues, including former President Petro Poroshenko, who called it a “shot at the heart of Ukraine,” underscored Parubiy’s contributions to military build-up and language laws promoting Ukrainian identity. The assassination has raised alarms about the safety of public figures in Ukraine, already strained by Russia’s ongoing invasion, with Lviv’s mayor noting that no area is completely safe. As the investigation continues, the event is likely to influence Ukraine’s political stability and security measures, reflecting broader tensions in the region.