Former Ukrainian Parliament Speaker Andriy Parubiy Shot Dead in Lviv

The man was little known outside his country, but he was a prominent figure in Ukrainian politics. On Saturday, August 30, the British daily The Guardian revealed , “MP and former parliament speaker Andriy Parubiy was shot dead in the western city of Lviv.” The news was quickly confirmed by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who called it a “horrible murder” and offered his condolences to Parubiy’s family. The reasons for the killing remain unknown at this stage.

In addition to his role as Speaker of the Ukrainian Parliament, a position he held from 2016 to 2019, Parubiy was known for playing a significant role during the Euromaidan , the Ukrainian revolution that led to the ouster of pro-Russian President Viktor Yanukovych in 2014. “During the protests, he was the commander of the volunteer self-defense corps,” the Kyiv Post contextualizes , “improvised security forces that protected protesters from Interior Ministry troops.” Subsequently, the English-language Ukrainian website continues, still in 2014, “he was appointed secretary of the National Defense and Security Council of Ukraine.”

The news of Parubiy's murder has prompted reactions from several political figures in the country, including former President Petro Poroshenko , who led Ukraine when Parubiy was president of parliament. From the United States, CNN 's news site relayed his harsh words.

“This crime is not just a shot fired at one person. It is a shot fired at the heart of Ukraine […] Parubiy was killed by monsters, but the enemy will never be able to kill the ideals for which Parubiy lived and fought […] Ukraine has lost a great son, but his cause will endure as long as our state exists.”