Suspect in murder of Andriy Parubiy remanded in custody

Author:
Olha Bereziuk
Date:

The Halytskyi District Court of Lviv has chosen a preventive measure in the form of detention for a period of 60 days without the right to post bail for the suspect in the murder of the MP from “European Solidarity” and former Speaker of the Verkhovna Rada Andriy Parubiy.

This was reported by the Prosecutor Generalʼs Office.

The actions of the 52-year-old Lviv resident were classified under two articles of the Criminal Code of Ukraine, namely:

  • Part 1 of Article 115 (intentional murder);
  • Part 1 of Article 263 (illegal handling of weapons).

Radio Liberty notes that the suspect was named at the trial — Mykhailo Stelnikov.

Before the hearing, the suspect confessed to the murder in a conversation with journalists. Commenting on the motives for the murder, Stelnikov stated that it was "his personal revenge on the Ukrainian authorities".

At the same time, he denied information that Russian special services blackmailed him and promised to return the body of his dead son to him in exchange for the murder.

"This is not true. All I want is for the verdict to be passed quickly. Yes, I admit I killed him. And I want to ask to be exchanged for a prisoner of war so I can go and find my sonʼs body," he said.

The murder of Andriy Parubiy

Former Speaker of the Verkhovna Rada Andriy Parubiy was killed in Lviv on August 30, 2025. The shooting occurred in the Frankivsk district of Lviv. As a result of the injuries received, the victim died on the spot.

At midnight on September 1, 36 hours after the murder, law enforcement officials announced that they had detained a suspect in the murder in the Khmelnytskyi region. They say that the crime was carefully prepared: the deceasedʼs travel schedule was studied, a route was laid, and an escape plan was thought out.

President Volodymyr Zelensky said that the first statements of the suspect are already available. The head of the National Police of Ukraine Ivan Vyhivskyi stated that the murder of Parubiy is not a random crime, there is a Russian trace.

On the morning of September 1, the detainee was informed of the suspicion. The suspectʼs actions were qualified under two articles of the Criminal Code of Ukraine, namely:

  • Part 1 of Article 115 (intentional murder);
  • Part 1 of Article 263 (illegal handling of weapons).

The MP of the “European Solidarity” faction Volodymyr Ariyev said that Andriy Parubiy had asked to be provided with state protection six months before the murder. The State Protection Department explained that Parubiy was not on the list of officials who are provided with state protection, while SBU and the National Police claim that the politician did not make such a request to them.

  • Parubiy and his family could have received state protection when the official held the position of Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine in 2016-2019. And also for one year after these powers ended.

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