In Lviv, a court has delivered its verdict against Viacheslav Zinchenko in the case over the murder of linguist and civic activist Iryna Farion. He was sentenced to life imprisonment.
This was reported by Suspilne.
Zinchenko was found guilty of the premeditated murder of a person connected to the performance of her civic duty, committed on the grounds of national intolerance. He was also charged with illegal possession of a firearm.
During the trial Zinchenko denied his guilt.
Reading out the verdict, the judge noted that the defendant had repeatedly been offered the opportunity to speak during closing arguments. According to the judge, Zinchenko refused each time, explaining that he did not have an agreed position with his defence lawyers.
What is known about the murder of Iryna Farion?
- Iryna Farion was shot dead on 19 July 2024 near her home in Lviv. The woman was taken to hospital, but died in hospital a few hours later. On 21 July, law enforcement officers released photographs of a man they were seeking in connection with the case.
- Police detained 18-year-old Viacheslav Zinchenko, a student at the Dnipro State University of Internal Affairs. According to media reports, he followed the page of a blogger who criticised Farion and promoted conspiratorial and neo-Nazi views.
- Zinchenko travelled to Lviv by train. On his phone, law enforcement officers found an "instruction from the CIA and the KGB", as well as messages criticising the "right wing" in Ukraine. Before the murder, investigators say, the man changed clothes and tried to disguise himself.
- On 25 July Zinchenko was detained in Dnipro. He denied any involvement in the murder. The court ordered him held in custody without the right to post bail.
- The investigation considered several possible motives for the murder, including Farion’s civic and political activities, as well as personal animosity. Law enforcement officers also did not rule out a possible "Russian trail" in the case.