Ukrainian MP, businessman Yaroslav Rushchyshyn dies in motorcycle accident
Yaroslav Rushchyshyn, a Ukrainian member of parliament, entrepreneur, and cultural figure, died following a motorcycle accident, his family confirmed to local media outlet Tvoye Misto on July 25.
The accident occurred around 9:45 p.m. local time on July 24 near the village of Babukhiv in the Ivano-Frankivsk region, according to local reports. Rushchyshyn was riding a Harley-Davidson motorcycle when he lost control and collided with a tractor. He died during hospitalization.
Rushchyshyn was serving as a People's Deputy of Ukraine in the 9th convocation, representing the Holos (Voice) party. He was also a well-known entrepreneur and co-founder of the Dzyga Art Center — an artistic association, gallery, theater, and concert facility in Lviv.
A lifelong civic activist, Rushchyshyn held numerous leadership roles. He served as a deputy in the Lviv Regional Council from 2006 to 2010 following the Orange Revolution. From 2019 to 2021, he led the Lviv regional branch of the Holos party.
Rushchyshyn’s activism began in the late 1980s. He was among the organizers of the 1990 Student Hunger Strike on Kyiv's Independence Square as part of the Revolution on Granite — a pivotal moment in Ukraine's early independence movement. He later went on to participate in subsequent Ukrainians revolutions, including the Orange Revolution and EuroMaidan.
Rushchyshyn, who was 57 years old, leaves behind a legacy that spans politics, culture, education, and grassroots activism.
