Ukrainians on Sunday paid tribute to the pivotal role of slain politician Andriy Parubiy in bolstering defenses against Russia and looked to Moscow as a possible culprit after a series of attacks on prominent Ukrainian figures, while the hunt for the perpetrator continued.
The death of Parubiy , an opposition MP and former head of Ukraine's parliament, in Lviv on Saturday is widely attributed to his unwavering stance against Russian interference in Ukrainian politics and his key contributions to countering the threat following the illegal annexation of Crimea in 2014.
Respected in Ukraine, defamed in Russia
“Parubiy was always there where he was needed most, despite the risks,”Dmitro, a 42-year-old doctor from Lviv who took part in the Euromaidan protests in 2013-2014, told EFE. “He was one of the few politicians we could truly trust,”he added.
During the protests against pro-Russian President Viktor Yanukovych, which Russia used as a pretext to launch its aggression against Ukraine in 2014, Parubiy was often the only high-profile politician among the protesters during violent police crackdowns, suffering several injuries.
In the months and years that followed, he helped overcome the initial chaos following Yanukovych's escape, overseeing crucial decisions to reform Ukraine's severely weakened armed forces and police.
Parubiy's staunch defense of Ukraine's political sovereignty, language, and culture against Russian influence, while avoiding divisive rhetoric, earned him wide respect among Ukrainians.
On the contrary, his actions made him a target in Moscow, which added him to its list of sanctioned politicians in 2018.
Kremlin-controlled media frequently branded him a “Nazi,” blaming him for launching Operation Anti-Terror in 2014, which recaptured parts of Donbass initially held by Russian-led forces and halted their advances in eastern Ukraine.
Russia as the prime suspect
Police are exploring several motives as the search for the fugitive killer continues, with the leading theory pointing to Russian involvement in the crime.
“Andriy was persecuted by Russia. We knew that he, like other members of our team, was on the Kremlin’s so-called ‘death lists’ since 2014 ,” said a statement from European Solidarity, the party he represented in parliament, emphasizing that Parubiy was dangerous to his enemies because “he always told the truth and fought without concessions.”
“It is clear that the murder of Andriy Parubiy was ordered by the Russian Federation,”Maksim Zhorin, deputy commander of Ukraine’s Third Assault Brigade, wrote on Telegram, stressing that the killings and attacks against Ukrainian military personnel, politicians and public figures are part of Russia’s systematic operations inside Ukraine.
Observers note that the assassination of Parubiy shows Moscow's ongoing hunt against those prominent Ukrainian figures who have clearly defined Russia as their country's key enemy.
“This was an attack not only against our friend and ally. It is a blow to all of Ukraine, an attempt to undermine our state identity and sow fear,” the European Solidarity statement said.
Aiming for destabilization
Some analysts warn that the murder of an opposition MP could be intended to inflame long-standing tensions between the government of Volodymyr Zelenskiy and the European Solidarity party, led by his former main rival, former President Petro Poroshenko.
No longer a key decision-maker, Parubiy lacked the state security measures afforded some prominent figures. According to fellow MP Volodymyr Ariev, Parubiy requested such protection six months ago, but was denied.
"This murder exposes the weakness of the authorities, who are unable to guarantee the safety of those who symbolize statehood," the party's statement said.
Russia is seeking to eliminate Ukrainian politicians to erode confidence in the state, demonstrate its vulnerability and deepen internal divisions to weaken Ukraine's resilience, noted renowned journalist Vitali Portnikov.
Each of these murders is an act of terrorism and part of the Kremlin's attempt to undermine the Ukrainian state from within, Portnikov emphasized in a video analysis on his popular YouTube channel.
