August 30, 2025
Former Ukrainian Parliament Speaker Andriy Parubiy was shot dead in Lviv as Russia launched a major attack on Ukraine.
Former Ukrainian Parliament Speaker Andriy Parubiy was shot dead in Lviv as Russia launched a major attack on Ukraine.
Andriy Parubiy, the former speaker of Ukraine's parliament, has been shot dead in the western city of Lviv, according to officials. Unverified footage of the incident appears to show a gunman, disguised as a courier, approaching Parubiy on the street and brandishing a weapon before fleeing the scene. A manhunt is currently underway for the suspect.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky condemned the attack as a "terrible murder" and extended condolences to Parubiy's family.
Parubiy, 54, gained prominence during Ukraine's Euromaidan protests, which advocated for closer ties with the European Union and led to the ousting of pro-Russian President Viktor Yanukovych in 2014.
Ukrainian authorities have launched a special operation, codenamed Siren, to locate and apprehend the shooter. "All necessary forces and means are being deployed," Zelensky stated.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky condemned the attack as a "terrible murder" and extended condolences to Parubiy's family.
Parubiy, 54, gained prominence during Ukraine's Euromaidan protests, which advocated for closer ties with the European Union and led to the ousting of pro-Russian President Viktor Yanukovych in 2014.
Ukrainian authorities have launched a special operation, codenamed Siren, to locate and apprehend the shooter. "All necessary forces and means are being deployed," Zelensky stated.
Prosecutors reported that an unidentified gunman fired several shots at Parubiy, who died on the scene. Lviv police chief Oleksandr Shliakhovskyi noted that the gunman fired about eight shots from a firearm that has yet to be identified, describing the attack as "very carefully planned."
Mykola Meret, Lviv's chief prosecutor, added that all possible motives for the shooting are being investigated, including potential Russian involvement. Sources in Ukraine's law enforcement indicated that seven shell casings were recovered at the scene, and the assailant was reportedly dressed as a courier for the delivery service Glovo, carrying a yellow delivery bag and riding an e-bike.
A spokeswoman for Glovo expressed shock at the incident and stated the company would fully cooperate with the investigation.
Parubiy was a key figure in the Euromaidan movement, which began when Yanukovych's government refused to sign an association agreement with the EU in late 2013. He organized armed teams of protesters to defend the camp in Kyiv's central square and was injured multiple times during clashes with riot police.
Following Yanukovych's ouster, Parubiy served as secretary of Ukraine's National Security and Defence Council during a time of conflict with Russian-backed separatists in eastern Ukraine and the annexation of Crimea by Russia.
After Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Parubiy joined Ukraine's territorial defense and continued to serve as a lawmaker in the current parliament.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha praised Parubiy as "a patriot and statesman" who made significant contributions to Ukraine's defense and sovereignty. Former President Petro Poroshenko called the killing "a shot fired at the heart of Ukraine," highlighting Parubiy's role in building the Ukrainian army.
Massive overnight attack against Ukraine
In related news, Russia has conducted a large-scale overnight attack across 14 regions of Ukraine, resulting in one death and 30 injuries, including children, in the southern Zaporizhzhia region.
President Zelensky reported that Russia launched nearly 540 drones and 45 missiles, calling for tougher sanctions against Moscow. Following the assault, Russia's defense ministry claimed all "targets of the strike have been achieved," although this assertion has not been independently verified.
The attack comes amid ongoing international efforts to negotiate a peace deal, just days after Kyiv experienced one of its largest aerial assaults of the war, resulting in at least 25 fatalities.
In the Dnipropetrovsk region, local official Serhiy Lysak reported multiple strikes on infrastructure, with damage to a residential building and a shopping center. While no casualties were reported from the overnight strikes, four people were injured in a subsequent drone attack.
Ukrainian military forces also claimed to have struck oil refineries in Krasnodar and Syzran, Russia, resulting in significant explosions and fires. Russian authorities acknowledged damage at the Krasnodar facility but reported no casualties.
The Russian military stated it shot down 20 Ukrainian drones overnight, including 18 over Crimea. Russia also claimed to have captured Komyshevakha in the eastern Donetsk region, a report that Ukraine has not yet confirmed.
President Zelensky reported that Russia launched nearly 540 drones and 45 missiles, calling for tougher sanctions against Moscow. Following the assault, Russia's defense ministry claimed all "targets of the strike have been achieved," although this assertion has not been independently verified.
The attack comes amid ongoing international efforts to negotiate a peace deal, just days after Kyiv experienced one of its largest aerial assaults of the war, resulting in at least 25 fatalities.
In the Dnipropetrovsk region, local official Serhiy Lysak reported multiple strikes on infrastructure, with damage to a residential building and a shopping center. While no casualties were reported from the overnight strikes, four people were injured in a subsequent drone attack.
Ukrainian military forces also claimed to have struck oil refineries in Krasnodar and Syzran, Russia, resulting in significant explosions and fires. Russian authorities acknowledged damage at the Krasnodar facility but reported no casualties.
The Russian military stated it shot down 20 Ukrainian drones overnight, including 18 over Crimea. Russia also claimed to have captured Komyshevakha in the eastern Donetsk region, a report that Ukraine has not yet confirmed.
Zelensky has emphasized that the latest attacks demonstrate Russia's disregard for diplomatic efforts, urging the international community to impose further sanctions. European foreign affairs ministers are currently meeting in Denmark to discuss the situation, including the potential freezing of approximately €210 billion in Russian assets.
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