Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced on Monday that a suspect has been arrested in the shooting death of former parliamentary speaker Andriy Parubiy, who was considered a prominent pro-Western politician.
“The suspect has given an initial testimony. Urgent investigative actions are currently underway to establish all the circumstances of this murder,” Zelenskyy informed on Telegram messaging app. However, no information regarding the suspect or the motive behind the killing was released.
Parubiy, 54, was shot dead in western city of Lviv on Saturday and the Ukrainian president had called it “a horrific murder” and a “matter of security in a country at war.”
Minister of Internal Affairs of Ukraine Ihor Klymenko and Head of the Security Service of Ukraine Vasyl Maliuk have just reported the apprehension of a suspect in the murder of Andriy Parubiy. The necessary investigative actions are ongoing. I have instructed that the available…
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) August 31, 2025
“I thank law enforcement for their swift and coordinated work. All the circumstances of this horrific murder must be uncovered,” Zelenskyy added in his post.
Parubiy was the parliamentary speaker from 2016-2019 and was part of the Maidan protests in 2014, wherein he led his self-defence volunteer units that forced pro-Russian President Viktor Yanukovych from office. He also advocated that Ukraine have closer ties with the European Union.
According to Minister of Internal Affairs Ihor Klymenko, the suspected shooter was arrested overnight in the Khmelnytskyi region in western Ukraine, Reuters reported.
Many details cannot be shared at this time. I will only say that the crime was carefully planned: the victim’s movements were studied, a route was mapped out, and an escape plan was thought through,” Klymenko said.
