Andriy Parubiy, a Ukrainian politician who previously served as the parliament speaker, was shot dead in western city of Lviv on Saturday. Prosecutors have opened a murder investigation and said police were still searching for the shooter but have not mentioned possible motives at this stage.
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy condemned it as a “horrific murder” and said “all necessary forces and means” would be used in the investigation. By Saturday afternoon, tributes had come in from colleagues in Ukraine’s parliament and the government, praising Parubiy’s contribution to Ukraine’s fight for sovereignty and independence.
Former president Petro Poroshenko said on Telegram that the killing of Parubiy, who was a member of the parliamentary committee on national security, defence and intelligence, was “a shot fired at the heart of Ukraine”. Iryna Herashchenko, a lawmaker from the European Solidarity party, described Parubiy as “one of the founders of the modern Ukraine … principled and decent, patriotic, intelligent”.
In a statement on Telegram, foreign minister Andrii Sybiha described Parubiy as “a patriot and statesman” who “rightfully belongs in the history books”. Ukrainian prime minister Yulia Svyrydenko called for a prompt investigation of the murder, calling it “a profound loss” for the country.