Iryna Farion, a member of the Politrada VO “Svoboda”, a People’s Deputy of Ukraine of the 7th convocation, a doctor of philological sciences and a professor of the Lviv Polytechnic, who was mortally wounded by an unknown assailant, died in intensive care. This was announced by the head of Lviv OVA Maksym Kozytskyi.
Iryna Farion was taken to St. Panteleimon Hospital on July 19 at 20:00 with a gunshot wound to the head. At 10:50 p.m., the head of the anesthesiological service of the First Medical Center of Lviv, Nataliya Matolinets, reported that an operation was performed for the initial treatment of the wound on the head, and the patient was transferred to the intensive care unit, where doctors fought for her life.
“At approximately 8:00 p.m., patient Iryna Farion came to us with signs of an open, penetrating gunshot wound to the head. Her condition was critical, she was in a deep cerebral coma and was on artificial ventilation.” Nataliya Matolinets noted, describing the patient’s condition.
At 11:33 p.m. Nataliya Matolinets reported that all the efforts of the doctors to save Iryna Farion’s life were in vain.
“Despite all resuscitation measures and efforts of doctors, Irina Farion’s life could not be saved. She died, her heart could not withstand it. Medicine was powerless.” she said.
Versions of the murder
Almost the entire police force of Lviv and part of the police of the Lviv Region are involved in the investigation of the murder of Iryna Farion. The police, together with SBU officers, are carrying out a complex of measures to find the shooter. At the same time, technical capabilities are used to identify the attacker. At this time, the investigation is considering several versions that may be the reasons for the attempt. The police have information that the killer was watching the linguist’s house. The head of the Ministry of Internal Affairs Ihor Klymenko informed about this at an urgent briefing in Lviv reported July 20 in the department’s Telegram channel.
“I held an operational meeting in Lviv. I listened to the reports of the police leadership regarding the disclosure of the murder of Iryna Farion. At the moment, operatives are carrying out a complex of measures both at the scene of the crime and at the places of departure of the possible criminal.” Ihor Klymenko said.
During the briefing, the minister said that the investigation had data that the suspect had been near Iryna Farion’s house at the specified time for several days.
“We are checking all the information, we are working with witnesses, we are contacting everyone who can provide the investigation with additional information. I want to thank the people who have already provided this information.” Ihor Klymenko noted.
The minister said that a shell casing was found at the scene of the crime. After the forensic examination, investigators will have additional information.
The main versions currently under consideration are: personal animosity, socio-political activity of Farion. It is not excluded that the murder has an ordered character. According to Klymenko, the attack on the linguist was classified as intentional murder. A special police operation to apprehend the shooter is ongoing.
The case of the attempt on Farion is under the personal control of the President of Ukraine, to whom the heads of the Security Service of Ukraine and the Ministry of Internal Affairs regularly report on its progress.
What is Iryna Farion known for?
Iryna Farion attracted attention with her radical statements and proposals, which often outraged society and caused a significant response in the mass media and social networks. She became famous thanks to her sharp statements about the introduction of the Ukrainian language and criticism of everything related to Russia.
In 2010, on the occasion of the International Mother Language Day, the then deputy of the Lviv Regional Council from “Svoboda” Iryna Farion conducted a “literacy lesson” in kindergarten #67, during which she condemned the “fusion of Ukrainian names”. She claimed that Misha’s boy should be Mykhailik, Lisa comes from the word “to lick”, and she advised Alyonka to “pack a suitcase and leave for Moscow.” She also emphasized the need to punish children for using Russian words and words like “type” and “too”.
In 2013, as a People’s Deputy, Farion filed a complaint to the court against the communist deputy Oleksandr Zubchevsky, who refused to speak the state language during a meeting of the Committee on Education and Science. The court refused to satisfy her complaint, after which she threatened the judges with a “Lynch trial”.
In 2018, commenting on the incident in which a Ukrainian soldier’s jaw was broken in Mariupol because of the Ukrainian language, Farion called to “give every Muscovite in the jaw.” She noted that if the Ukrainians “simply kicked every Muscovite in the jaw,” the war would have ended in victory a long time ago.
On January 26, 2023, in one of the interviews, Farion stated that there is a causal relationship between the Russian crimes in Mariupol and how local residents voted in the elections and what language they spoke.
In November 2023, the former People’s Deputy declared that she could not call the Russian-speaking Ukrainian military, in particular the fighters of the Azov brigade, Ukrainians. This statement caused outrage among Ukrainian servicemen and stirred up society. She published a post on her social networks, where she called the Russian-speaking defenders “Moscow-loving” and stated that “fighting for Ukraine is not a merit, but a duty.”
In her Telegram channel, Farion published a letter from a pro-Ukrainian student from the temporarily occupied Crimea, who supported her, but did not hide his personal data. Russian security forces found the student and forced him to apologize on camera.
Because of her statement, students of the Lviv Polytechnic organized a protest demanding her release. People’s deputy Yehor Chernev said that with her words, Farion “set a sign of equality” between the occupiers and those who sacrifice their lives defending Ukraine.
On November 15, 2023, the Security Service of Ukraine opened criminal proceedings against Iryna Farion, and on November 16, she was dismissed from the Lviv Polytechnic. Later, she was reinstated through the court.
