Ukraine detains suspect in shooting of ex-parliament speaker, reports 'Russian trace'
Editor's note: The story was updated with additional statements from officials.
A suspect in the fatal shooting of Andrii Parubii, a Ukrainian politician who previously served as the parliament speaker, has been detained, President Volodymyr Zelensky announced in the early hours of Sept. 1.
"The suspect has given an initial testimony. Urgent investigative actions are currently underway to establish all the circumstances of this murder," Zelensky said.
Parubii, 54, was shot dead in Lviv on Aug. 30 by an assailant disguised as a courier, prompting a nationwide manhunt. During a press briefing in Lviv, police officials said that Parubii was shot at eight times with a short-barreled firearm. Seven shell casings were found at the crime scene.
Ivan Vyhivskyi, Ukraine's police chief, said the crime was "not random" and had "a Russian trace."
A 52-year-old resident of Lviv was charged with Parubii's murder, the Prosecutor General's Office announced. Searches at the suspect's residence and other places where he has stayed are underway.
Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko said that the suspect was apprehended in Khmelnytskyi Oblast. Vyhivskyi noted that the attacker tried to hide in the western region after "he tried to cover his tracks" by changing clothes and disposing of the weapon.
"The crime was carefully prepared: the attacker studied the victim’s movements, mapped out the route, and planned the escape," Klymenko added.
"Once again, police officers and employees of the Security Service of Ukraine have demonstrated a high level of professionalism. Within 24 hours of the murder, they were already on the direct trail of the shooter, and within 36 hours — they detained him."
Speaking at a briefing later on Sept. 1, police officials said that the crime was being planned for more than a month and that the attacker received instruction and assistance. The suspect planned to flee abroad after the crime. There is currently no evidence suggesting he had accomplices, the police said.
"The crime has signs of being contract-based. There is operational information indicating the possible involvement of Russian intelligence services in organizing the murder," said Vadym Onyshchenko, the SBU chief in Lviv Oblast.
Parubii, a prominent Ukrainian activist and politician, was born in 1971 near Lviv. His public life began during the Soviet era, where he was arrested twice for organizing anti-government protests.
Following Ukraine's independence, Parubii transitioned into politics, first winning a seat in parliament in 2007. He was an active participant in the nation's major pro-democracy movements, including the 2004 Orange Revolution.
He gained prominence during the 2014 EuroMaidan protests where he led volunteer self-defense groups. The 2013-2014 EuroMaidan Revolution called for closer ties with the European Union and led to the ouster of pro-Russian President Viktor Yanukovych.
After the removal of Yanukovych, Parubii served as secretary of the National Security and Defense Council from February to August 2014. This period coincided with Russia's annexation of Crimea and the start of the war in eastern parts of Ukraine, namely Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts.
Due to his key position during the initial stages of Russian aggression, Parubii frequently became a target of Russian state propaganda and disinformation campaigns.
Law enforcement authorities said they are investigating whether Parubii received threats before his death.
