High-profile murder of Ukrainian public figure Iryna Farion: Investigation and shooter's motives
Iryna Farion (Getty Images)
The suspect in the murder of Ukrainian former MP and professor Iryna Farion was detained yesterday. Today, he was notified of suspicion, and the court will choose a preventive measure. Investigators are inclined to believe that the shooter could have been only the executor.
Contents
- About the day of the murder and its planning
- Versions, motives, and the 'Russian trace'
- What is known about the killer and his family
- Shooter had other potential victims, including MP
About the day of the murder and its planning
The murder of public figure and linguist Iryna Farion took place on July 19, 2024, on Masaryk Street in Lviv. An unknown shot the 60-year-old woman in the temple while she was waiting for a taxi in the yard of her house. Doctors took her to the hospital in critical condition and operated. Farion was in a deep brain coma and on artificial lung ventilation. But they failed to save the victim. The same evening, doctors pronounced her dead, and the police classified the crime as premeditated murder.
After the assassination attempt, photos of a young male wearing a panama hat and dark glasses appeared online. Farion's neighbors said that he had been walking near the house where the linguist lived for a week. Later, the police confirmed that this young man was at least one suspect in the case. He was put on the wanted list.
Today, law enforcement officers revealed more details about the chronology of events, reporting that in total, more than 80 people who looked like the killer were identified and interviewed during the investigation. Police have interviewed 900 witnesses in the case.
A sporting shell casing, not a combat shell, was found at the scene. The police are currently looking for where this bullet (9x18) was purchased. The Ministry of Internal Affairs does not rule out that it was purchased on the black market.
The investigation found out that upon arrival in Lviv, the suspect received camouflage items (including glasses, a fake beard, and a panama hat) at the Nova Poshta delivery office, which he wore for the next few days. He arrived in Lviv on July 9, where he rented an apartment through Booking, and then two more on July 14 and July 19. All of them had balconies.
Photo: Police showed footage from surveillance cameras showing the suspect (t.me/UA_National_Police)
The suspect waited for Farion in the yard of her house for about two hours without leaving her side. On the day of the murder, he approached the victim at a distance of no more than two meters before shooting her. The moment was not captured on camera, but the last minutes of preparation before the attack were recorded.
Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko said that the weapon used to kill Farion has not yet been found.
“As for the gun, the suspect said that he had hidden it,” the minister said.
Farion was buried at Lychakiv Cemetery in Lviv on July 22. Thousands of Lviv residents came to say goodbye. That day, the suspect fled the city (he took a train to Dnipro).
Versions, motives, and the 'Russian trace'
During these days, hundreds of specialists from the National Police of Ukraine, the Security Service of Ukraine, and other services worked to solve the murder. Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko said that the investigation has several versions of the motives for the murder. Among the main ones are personal animosity and the deceased's public activities. Law enforcement officials also do not rule out a “Russian trace” in the murder. The Interior Ministry also says that the murder was planned and the killer had been preparing for the crime for at least two months.
Responding to the RBC-Ukraine question at a briefing, the first deputy head of the Security Service of Ukraine Serhii Andrushchenko said that the version of the involvement of Russian special services is being considered. They are also checking the detainee's involvement in the neo-Nazi movement in Russia.
Russian media spread a video in which Russian “national socialists” from the NS/WP movement claimed responsibility for the murder of Iryna Farion. They allegedly published a video of the murder.
“A set of measures is being taken to investigate this person's involvement. We are studying his connections both in Ukraine and abroad. One of the versions is the involvement of the special services of the aggressor country in organizing the crime,” Andrushchenko said, adding that other crimes on the territory of Ukraine that the detainee could have been involved in are being considered.
A digital book named Secret Instructions of the CIA and KGB on Fact Gathering, Conspiracy, and Disinformation was found in the suspect's phone.
What is known about the killer and his family
The detainee is 18 years old and a native of Dnipro. Today he was notified of being suspected of premeditated murder. According to the head of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, there is enough evidence to assert that it was the detainee who shot the linguist.
Journalists of Schemes (Radio Liberty) found out that this 18-year-old boy studied at Dnipro gymnasium No. 62. He played football at the City Children's and Youth Sports School and played in the U-19 team. He also participated in the Fall 2022 tournament in support of the Armed Forces.
The media also contacted the suspect's father. The man said that he was in the military and had not seen his son for a long time, but had learned about his detention from his wife. According to him, the boy did not say anything that would indicate hostility to Farion. The journalists did not manage to talk to the mother, as her phone was turned off.
A farewell letter was also found in the young man's phone in case something "went wrong.” He apologizes to his parents and writes that he hid it from his family “for their safety” and because he did not trust them.
Photo: Suspected murderer wrote a farewell letter (RBC-Ukraine)
The Interior Minister said that the suspect was taken from Dnipro to Lviv for 10 hours and the police talked to him. It turned out that everything was unexpected for the guy, he didn't even have time to send a text message because the special forces worked quickly. Klymenko says that they are currently establishing the place where the suspect could have been trained in shooting.
RBC-Ukraine has obtained a photo of the shooter.
Photo: Suspect in the murder of Iryna Farion (RBC-Ukraine)
Shooter had other potential victims, including MP
Law enforcement officers found that the guy was looking for information about other public figures, suggesting he was preparing other murders. The Minister of Internal Affairs said that the 18-year-old detainee could have further targeted MP Maksym Buzhanskyi and added that there were other names in the search for the suspect, but did not name them.
Today, the Court of Lviv will choose a preventive measure for the suspect in the murder of Iryna Farion. The prosecutor's office will request an arrest for two months without bail. If proven guilty, the shooter faces up to 15 years in prison.
Sources: statements by the Minister of Internal Affairs Ihor Klymenko and the deputy head of the Security Service of Ukraine Serhii Andrushchenko at a briefing, the press service of the National Police, information from RBC-Ukraine's sources, and the article of Schemes (Radio Liberty).
