Ukrainian Nationalist Ex-MP Iryna Farion Fatally Shot in Lviv

Former Ukrainian nationalist MP Iryna Farion has tragically passed away after being shot on a street in Lviv, western Ukraine. The 60-year-old linguistic professor, known for her controversial remarks in 2023 urging “true patriots” not to speak Russian, was shot on Friday. Authorities are investigating the incident, with police suggesting it may have been a targeted attack.

Farion’s assailant remains unidentified, and police noted that a power outage affected CCTV coverage in the area, complicating the investigation. Lviv Regional Governor Maksym Kozytskyi confirmed on Telegram that Farion died in hospital following the shooting.

Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko stated that the killing was not spontaneous and that police are exploring multiple motives, including Farion’s social and political activities and personal animosities. “We do not rule out that the murder has a commissioned character,” Klymenko added.

President Volodymyr Zelensky announced a major police operation on Saturday, with all potential leads, including possible links to Russia, being investigated. The hardline nationalist Svoboda (Freedom) political party, of which Farion was a member, directly blamed Russia for the killing, declaring, “Moscow shoots in the temple for the Ukrainian language.”

Farion’s 2023 comments, in which she labeled Russian as “the language of the enemy” and criticized Ukrainian soldiers speaking it, sparked significant controversy and accusations of inciting linguistic hatred. She was subsequently dismissed from a university in western Ukraine and investigated by the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU). However, in May, the Lviv Court of Appeal reportedly reinstated her to her position.