On 19 July 2024, a Ukrainian linguist, former lawmaker and nationalist politician who served as a deputy in the Verkhovna Rada from 2012 to 2014 for Svoboda, Iryna Farion, was shot dead outside her home in a suspected assassination attack. On 25 July 2024, authorities arrested 18-year-old Viacheslav Zinchenko in Dnipro, nearly 900–1,000km from Lviv. He had rented at least three apartments in Lviv, allegedly preparing for the crime.[2][3] Investigators believe the murder weapon was likely a converted starter pistol that could fire 9×18mm "sport" ammunition.[1]
In early July 2024, Viacheslav Zinchenko, an 18-year-old from Dnipro, allegedly traveled by intercity bus to Lviv, reportedly to avoid train stations and airports that had greater security and surveillance measures. Upon arriving in Lviv, he is believed to have rented at least three different apartments across the city under false identities, allegedly to reduce suspicion and facilitate movement without detection.[2][3]
During the weeks leading up to the attack, Zinchenko allegedly purchased disguises, including sunglasses, a panama hat, a fake beard, gloves, and dark clothing. He reportedly carried pepper powder with him, possibly intended to obscure his scent and hinder tracking dogs following the assassination.[3]
Between approximately 16 and 18 July 2024, Zinchenko was seen conducting surveillance near areas frequently visited by Iryna Farion, including her residence and locations where she typically hailed taxis. Witnesses reported seeing an unfamiliar individual loitering along Masaryk Street during the evenings prior to the shooting.[3]
On 19 July 2024, around 19:30 local time, Farion was waiting for a taxi on Masaryk Street in Lviv when Zinchenko allegedly approached her and shot her in the temple at close range with a sports-bullet pistol, possibly a converted weapon. He subsequently fled on foot, discarding various items of clothing, disguises, and other evidence into separate trash containers throughout the city. Law enforcement later recovered a fake beard, sunglasses, hat, clothing items, pepper powder packets, and a shell casing from the area.[4]
Following the attack, Zinchenko allegedly left Lviv again by bus, avoiding train stations and airports. He traveled back to Dnipro, where he went into hiding. On 25 July 2024, Ukrainian authorities arrested him in Dnipro after tracing his movements through bus passenger lists, CCTV footage, and mobile phone data. Zinchenko has reportedly denied involvement in the killing, though investigators have matched DNA traces and other evidence linking him to the crime scene.[5]
On 24 July 2024, the Russian group National Socialism / White Power published a manifesto of the individual who committed the murder of Farion, including a video alleged to be depicting the moment she was shot.[6] The manifesto claimed that the motive behind the murder was that Farion promoted language-based hatred among ethnic Ukrainians, undermining the racial aspect of the Ukrainian nation and thus being a "race traitor".[7]
The trial began in the Shevchenkivskyi District Court of Lviv in July 2025. During initial hearings, Zinchenko pleaded not guilty and denied direct involvement in the shooting. His defense requested additional security measures and more time to examine evidence, arguing that Zinchenko may have been manipulated or framed by unknown parties.[8]
Farion's family has filed a civil claim seeking ₴15 million in moral damages, which they have announced would be donated entirely to Ukraine's Defense Forces if awarded. Prosecutors have presented evidence including CCTV footage, DNA traces, and items recovered from Lviv linked to Zinchenko. As of July 2025, the next substantive hearing in the trial has been scheduled for 13 February 2026.[8]
On 26 February 2025, the court ruled to extend Zinchenko's detention until 24 April 2025, citing the seriousness of the charges and the risk of flight. The case continued to attract significant public and media attention in Ukraine.[9] During a 22 August hearing, the court heard a recorded conversation between Zinchenko and another inmate, where Zinchenko attributed his motive for killing Farion to her negative comments on Russian-speaking Ukrainians. In court, Zinchenko stated that his remarks were untruthful, made to avoid the pressure of being questioned.[10]
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