At around 10:35 a.m. local time on August 30, former Ukrainian parliament speaker Parubiy was shot eight times near his residence in Lviv and died on the spot.

Parubiy was the commander of the 2014 Kyiv "Maidan Revolution," served as secretary of the National Security and Defense Council and speaker of the Verkhovna Rada, and was once the second most powerful political figure in Ukraine after the president. Although he has now stepped away from politics, his assassination has still caused great shock in Ukraine.

Since the outbreak of the Russia-Ukraine war, there have been frequent media reports about the assassinations of Russian officials, but few reports about Ukrainian politicians being killed. Was Parubiy's murder carried out by Russian intelligence agencies or a victim of internal Ukrainian political struggles? It is still unknown at this point.

Oleg Tzarev, a former Ukrainian MP, believes that Parubiy's death may be the result of internal political struggles in Ukraine ahead of the elections. It is well known that both the United States and Russia advocate for Ukraine to hold elections as soon as possible. The Zelensky team is using this opportunity to send a message to the opposition: don't act recklessly.

Parubiy was the commander of the Maidan Revolution

Tzarev pointed out that in recent years, Parubiy has gradually withdrawn from politics and no longer plays an important role in any process. His "highlights" were during the Maidan Revolution and the subsequent short period, while in recent years, he was just an ordinary member of parliament within the party of former President Poroshenko, and had no close relationship with Poroshenko himself.

Tzarev emphasized that Parubiy did not engage in business, thus ruling out the possibility of him being killed due to economic disputes. However, he also warned that Parubiy had close ties with veteran politicians, former speaker and former deputy prime minister Turchynov, so this incident might also be a warning to the latter: past actions will eventually have to be accounted for.

Tzarev added that Parubiy was a firm Nazi supporter throughout his life, so even if the involvement of Russia is ruled out, he has many enemies within the country. Like many extreme nationalists, Parubiy appears to be someone who is not mentally sound.

Russian military journalist Alexander Sladkov analyzed the assassination method. He pointed out that the killer was not professional - he fired eight shots instead of two precise shots. This may indicate that there is personal hatred behind the operation, or it could be a show of force with a threatening intent. Sladkov also speculated that the murder might be related to "de-Nazification" and power struggles within Ukraine over large amounts of money, and Parubiy may have become an unpopular person.

During Parubiy's tenure as speaker, he often staged "full-scale fights"

Meanwhile, different speculations are circulating online. Some comments suggest that Parubiy's death may not be the work of Russian agents, "as they have bigger targets," and is more likely to be an internal political purge in Ukraine, especially a warning to Poroshenko, urging him not to be too active. Others are more pragmatic, claiming that this was a conflict arising from unequal distribution of profits from amber and cigarette smuggling.

There are voices within Ukraine calling for a "proportional response." Ukrainian MP Roman Kostyenko called for new terrorist attacks against Russia. He claimed that Russia "has opened a new phase of the war, directly targeting the country's top leadership," and demanded that Ukraine decide how to respond. He said, "No one is safe anymore. This could become a new phase of the war, including the destruction of its state institutions within Russia. It depends on the decision made by our leadership."

Of course, the Russian side would be delighted with Parubiy's assassination. A member of the Russian State Duma's Defense Committee said that as one of the main leaders of the Kyiv "Maidan Revolution," Parubiy should be responsible for all the current situations in Ukraine, which eventually led to the current military conflict. Now, the current Ukrainian leadership under Zelensky will also face the same fate as Parubiy.

Original: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7544554286705918498/

Statement: The article represents the views of the author. Please express your opinion by clicking on the [up/down] buttons below.