The former speaker of the Ukrainian parliament Andriy Parubiy has been shot dead in the western city of Lviv, officials have reported.
Unverified footage, purportedly showing the shooting incident, captures a gunman dressed as a courier approaching Parubiy on the street. He allegedly brandished a weapon before fleeing the scene, leading to a massive manhunt for the shooter.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky described Saturday’s attack as a ‘terrible murder’ and expressed condolences to Parubiy's family.
Parubiy, 54, became widely known during Ukraine’s Euromaidan protests, which sought closer ties with the European Union and resulted in the ousting of pro-Russian President Viktor Yanukovych in 2014.
In the aftermath of the shooting, a special operation, dubbed Siren, was launched by Ukrainian authorities to apprehend the gunman. President Zelensky stated, ‘All necessary forces and means are being deployed’.
Witnesses reported that the gunman fired about eight shots from a currently unidentified firearm, and Lviv police stated that the attack appeared to be carefully planned.
The assailant, who reportedly looked like a courier from the delivery service Glovo, was seen carrying a yellow delivery bag. A spokeswoman for the company expressed their shock over the incident and pledged cooperation with investigators.
Parubiy was integral to the Euromaidan movement, organizing protests and coordinating armed ‘self-defense’ teams during clashes with police. After Yanukovych's ousting, he held significant roles in Ukraine's government during a tumultuous period, marked by Russia's annexation of Crimea and the onset of conflict in eastern Ukraine.
Ukraine's Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha lauded Parubiy as a patriot whose contributions to Ukraine's freedom and independence would be remembered. Former President Petro Poroshenko referred to the assassination as ‘a shot fired at the heart of Ukraine,’ emphasizing Parubiy’s vital role in bolstering the Ukrainian army amid ongoing conflict.
Unverified footage, purportedly showing the shooting incident, captures a gunman dressed as a courier approaching Parubiy on the street. He allegedly brandished a weapon before fleeing the scene, leading to a massive manhunt for the shooter.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky described Saturday’s attack as a ‘terrible murder’ and expressed condolences to Parubiy's family.
Parubiy, 54, became widely known during Ukraine’s Euromaidan protests, which sought closer ties with the European Union and resulted in the ousting of pro-Russian President Viktor Yanukovych in 2014.
In the aftermath of the shooting, a special operation, dubbed Siren, was launched by Ukrainian authorities to apprehend the gunman. President Zelensky stated, ‘All necessary forces and means are being deployed’.
Witnesses reported that the gunman fired about eight shots from a currently unidentified firearm, and Lviv police stated that the attack appeared to be carefully planned.
The assailant, who reportedly looked like a courier from the delivery service Glovo, was seen carrying a yellow delivery bag. A spokeswoman for the company expressed their shock over the incident and pledged cooperation with investigators.
Parubiy was integral to the Euromaidan movement, organizing protests and coordinating armed ‘self-defense’ teams during clashes with police. After Yanukovych's ousting, he held significant roles in Ukraine's government during a tumultuous period, marked by Russia's annexation of Crimea and the onset of conflict in eastern Ukraine.
Ukraine's Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha lauded Parubiy as a patriot whose contributions to Ukraine's freedom and independence would be remembered. Former President Petro Poroshenko referred to the assassination as ‘a shot fired at the heart of Ukraine,’ emphasizing Parubiy’s vital role in bolstering the Ukrainian army amid ongoing conflict.