Former Ukrainian Parliament Speaker, Andriy Parubiy, has been shot dead in the western city of Lviv, authorities confirmed on Saturday.
Police said the 54-year-old politician “died on the spot as a result of his injuries”, adding that a manhunt has been launched for the gunman. The motive behind the attack remained unclear.
Parubiy served as speaker of Ukraine’s parliament from 2016 to 2019 and was a key figure in the country’s pro-European movements, playing a prominent role in the 2004 Orange Revolution and the 2014 Maidan Revolution.
President Volodymyr Zelensky condemned the killing, describing it as a “horrific murder”, and pledged a full investigation.
“We will not allow this crime to go unanswered,” Zelensky said. “Law enforcement agencies have already begun their work, and the investigation will be carried out thoroughly.”
Authorities in Lviv have stepped up security measures as police continued to track down the assailant.
