Suspect in Ukrainian MP murder denies Russian blackmail, claims revenge motive

The suspect accused of murdering prominent Ukrainian politician Andriy Parubiy has publicly confessed to the crime, framing his actions as a personal act of vengeance against the Ukrainian government.

The man admitted to the killing and said he is seeking to be included in a prisoner-of-war exchange, in hopes of recovering the remains of his son, who went missing in action during the ongoing war, Caliber.Az reports, citing Ukrainian media.

“This is revenge against the Ukrainian authorities personally. All I want is for the verdict to be handed down as soon as possible. Yes, I admit it, I killed him, and I want to ask to be exchanged for prisoners of war so I can go and find my son's body,” he said.

In court, the suspect claimed that Parubiy was not specifically targeted for political reasons, but rather became a victim of proximity. He further suggested that former President Petro Poroshenko could have been his target had he lived elsewhere:

“If I had lived in Vinnytsia, it would have been Petya,” he remarked, referring to Poroshenko by his first name.

The suspect also addressed widespread media reports alleging he had been coerced or blackmailed by Russian intelligence using the disappearance of his son as leverage. He firmly denied those claims, calling them untrue.

Parubiy, a sitting member of parliament, was shot dead in Lviv on August 30. The assailant, disguised as a courier, opened fire eight times, killing the politician at the scene.

Witnesses said the gunman checked that his victim was dead before fleeing. Police immediately launched a special operation codenamed Siren.

The suspect, a 52-year-old resident of Lviv, was arrested the following day in the neighbouring Khmelnytskyi region. Investigators say the attack was meticulously planned, with the accused tracking Parubiy’s movements and preparing an escape route. Law enforcement officials have not ruled out possible links to Russia.

Andriy Nebytov, deputy head of the National Police, said there were grounds to believe the killing may have been a contract murder. Prosecutors and investigators are now working to establish the shooter’s motives and whether others were involved in orchestrating the crime.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy described the attack as a "terrible murder" and offered condolences to Parubiy's family.

"All necessary forces and means are being deployed," Zelenskyy said in a statement.

Parubiy, 54, rose to prominence during Ukraine's Euromaidan mass protests, which advocated closer ties with the EU and brought down pro-Russian former President Viktor Yanukovych in 2014.

By Vafa Guliyeva