Andriy Parubiy, former speaker of Ukraine’s parliament and one of the architects of the 2013–14 Euromaidan protests, was gunned down in Lviv on Saturday in a killing that has rattled the country’s political establishment. The 54-year-old was shot multiple times on a city street and died instantly, according to prosecutors. The attacker fled, sparking a large-scale manhunt across western Ukraine.

Assassination In Wartime Ukraine

The shooting took place around midday in central Lviv, a city that had long been regarded as one of Ukraine’s safer strongholds far from the frontlines. Authorities said the gunman fired several rounds before escaping, leaving investigators scrambling for leads. President Zelensky described the killing as “horrendous” and warned it highlighted the absence of safe havens in a nation at war. The attack is being treated as a targeted political assassination.

A Prominent Voice Silenced

Parubiy rose to prominence during the 2013–14 Revolution of Dignity, organizing self-defense forces against riot police loyal to the Kremlin-backed government. He later served as secretary of the National Security and Defence Council during Russia’s covert invasion of eastern Ukraine in 2014 and was elected parliamentary speaker in 2016. Widely viewed as a staunch nationalist and outspoken critic of Moscow, he remained a symbol of Ukraine’s defiance even after leaving the speaker’s chair in 2019.

Outpouring Of Tributes

Tributes flooded in following news of the assassination. Former President Petro Poroshenko called the killing “a shot fired at the heart of Ukraine,” praising Parubiy’s role in strengthening the army and promoting Ukrainian language and culture. Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha described him as “a statesman who rightfully belongs in history books.” Lviv’s mayor urged calm while pledging full support to investigators seeking the gunman.

A Troubling Pattern

The killing adds to a series of high-profile assassinations targeting anti-Moscow figures. In recent years, Ukrainian nationalists, security officials, and pro-war Russian collaborators have all been attacked in tit-for-tat killings. The death of Parubiy—one of Ukraine’s most recognizable political leaders—marks a dangerous escalation, underscoring the reach of those seeking to destabilize the country from within.