"Andriy loved Ukraine more than anything else in his life. After the full-scale invasion, he did everything he could to help and support the Armed Forces of Ukraine, working in the relevant national security committee and assisting specific units where his comrades served. Andriy had unquestionable authority in our team. Every day, he tirelessly repeated that we must preserve Ukraine. Ukraine above all!" wrote his colleagues from European Solidarity.
To some, this may sound overly dramatic, but it was indeed the case. Ukraine always came first for Parubiy. If the word ‘patriot’ had to be illustrated with a single photograph, it would definitely be his picture.
Andriy Parubiy was born on 31 January 1971 in Chervonohrad, Lviv Region. He graduated from the History Department of Ivan Franko National University of Lviv (1994, specialising in history and history teaching) and completed his postgraduate studies at Lviv Polytechnic National University (2001, specialising in political science and sociology).
In 1990, he became a member of the Lviv Regional Council, and in 1991, together with Oleh Tyahnybok, he founded the Social-National Party of Ukraine, which in 2004 transformed into Svoboda.
In 2002, he was elected to the Lviv Regional Council for the third time. In 2004, he took an active part in the Orange Revolution.
He was elected as a People's Deputy of the 6th-9th convocations. For the first time in 2007 — from the Our Ukraine — People's Self-Defence bloc. In 2010, the Prosecutor General's Office under then-President Viktor Yanukovych wanted to strip Andriy Parubiy of his parliamentary immunity for throwing eggs in the parliament chamber during the ratification of the so-called Kharkiv Agreements.
In 2012, Parubiy left Our Ukraine and joined the Front for Change. In 2012, he was elected to the Verkhovna Rada from Batkivshchyna as an independent.
In 2013-2014, he was the commander of the Maydan and led the Self-Defence Forces. He played a key role in thwarting the first attempt to disperse the Maidan on the night of 10-11 December 2013.
It would not be an exaggeration to say that he was involved in the creation of the new Ukrainian army, as a significant part of the Maydan Self-Defence Forces went to the front in late February — early March 2014, forming the first volunteer battalions.
In 2014, he was elected to the Verkhovna Rada from the People's Front party, and in the same year he was appointed Secretary of the National Security and Defence Council. In 2016, after Volodymyr Hroysman was appointed Prime Minister, he was elected Speaker of the Verkhovna Rada.
He advocated for the introduction of a touch-sensitive button as a means of stopping ‘button-pushing’ in the Verkhovna Rada.
In 2019, the commander of the Maydan Self-Defence Forces and speaker of parliament became the second on the list of former allies — BPP (European Solidarity) as an independent. He was a member of the Committee on National Security and Defence.
Andriy Parubiy actively opposed pro-Russian forces in the Rada, defended the interests of the Ukrainian language, and fought against rapprochement with Russia. In 2019, he tried to disrupt a teleconference that the pro-Russian TV channel NewsOne was preparing with Russia.
As Speaker of the Verkhovna Rada, he played an important role in Ukraine's obtaining the Tomos of Autocephaly. He was personally present at the Unification Council on 15 December 2018 in Kyiv, and in early 2019 in Istanbul, at the Phanar, during the solemn ceremony of the presentation of the Tomos.
Parubiy's professional interest in Ukraine's historical monuments was backed up by concrete actions. In particular, he helped allocate funds for the construction of a road to the Tustan fortress in the Lviv Region, which led to the development of tourism there. He had fond memories of Tustan from his youth, when he took part in archaeological excavations at the fortress. He later admitted that this episode influenced his choice of profession.
‘The news was shocking. We, parliamentary journalists, remember Andriy from his time as a deputy of the NU-NS (Our Ukraine – People's Self-Defence bloc),’ says Lb.ua parliamentary correspondent Anna Steshenko. "Among other deputies from different factions, he always stood out for his modesty. Even as speaker, he lived in the Kyiv Hotel.
I remember him in the parliamentary smoking room, which was then still on the first floor. He smoked a lot and always talked to journalists like people. It sounds strange, but my colleagues will understand me. He never allowed himself to behave like the communist or regional deputies. He always gave professional comments. Every time he was worried that he would not make it to the vote — he was very responsible. In other words, he was a true European-style deputy.
We, a group of journalists who were ‘old-timers’ in parliament, were friends with Andriy Parubiy. He gave us small gifts — for example, I still have a small handmade angel from the Lviv fair that he gave me for New Year's. As well as another gift from him — a pen.
Andriy helped Dmytro Khylyuk, who was recently released from captivity and with whom we were talking when the shocking news of the murder in Lviv came, with a personal matter.
We also remember that terrible moment when the Party of Regions bent the parliament and effectively voted to terminate our Euro-Atlantic integration (the Kharkiv Agreements). A fight broke out in the parliamentary hall. Later, Andriy was accused of throwing smoke grenades, but from the press gallery we didn’t see that; what we did see clearly was “the Regions” striking Andriy several times with his head against the government gallery barrier and kicking him. He suffered quite severe injuries, didn’t appear in parliament for over six months afterward, and it’s unclear how he survived at all.
I remember him very well on Maydan. Both on stage and in the Trade Union House. I can say that he was never afraid of anything. He had a certain core strength. And he was a patriot to the core.
For many journalists of the ‘old school,’ the murder of Andriy Parubiy is simply shocking. Dmytro Khylyuk said today: “He was killed by the Moskals [Russians].” There’s no doubt about it. Eternal memory…
“What can be said for certain — these monsters are afraid, and that’s why they kill true patriots and strong people. Maydan, 11 years of war, a huge contribution to building Independence. Andriy was a great Man and a true friend. That’s why they take revenge, that’s what they fear,” said Petro Poroshenko. “This crime is not just a shot at a person. It’s a shot at the Army. A shot at the Language. A shot at Faith. A shot at the heart of Ukraine.”
“Today the orcs [Russian soldiers] killed my Friend… Together with our country, we went through a long, tragic, and heroic path,” wrote Serhiy Pashynskyy, a Ukrainian MP of the 7th and 8th convocations, on Facebook. “Andriy and I were defendants in all the criminal cases of Russia, which were instigated by Maydan and Russia’s attempt to annex all of Ukraine in 2014. Andriy was a great man; his goals were the defense of Ukraine and the fight against the Russian empire. This murder shows the helpless rage they felt toward him. He won his war against Russia, and we must defend that victory.”
As another close friend, Oleksandr Turchynov, said, “Andriy became one of the Heavenly Hundred.”
Very fitting.
Parubiy himself often said he would be honored to die for Ukraine. That is exactly what happened. But Ukraine will surely avenge him.