Farion murder suspect claims he "didn't do anything to her"

Tetyana Oliynyk — Friday, 26 July 2024, 22:38

Viacheslav Zinchenko, who is suspected of murdering linguist and former MP Iryna Farion, told reporters after the court had chosen his pretrial restriction that he did not kill Farion, and that his attitude towards Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin is negative.

Source: Suspilne Lviv citing Zinchenko's responses to journalists' questions in the courtroom

Quote: "I didn't do anything, and I didn’t do anything to Farion. Ask me some other questions. I didn't do anything; it wasn't me. My answer to these questions is: It wasn't me."

Details: The suspect was also questioned about his involvement with neo-Nazis. "Well, there are a lot of different ones. I'm not prepared to comment on my attitude to neo-Nazi groups," he answered.

Furthermore, Suspilne reported, the young man has an unfavourable attitude towards Putin and his government, stating that he wants nothing to do with him and never has.

Zinchenko further stated that he has taken classes and is a certified UAV operator.

Background: 

  • On 26 July, representatives of Ukraine’s Ministry of Internal Affairs, the police, the Office of the Prosecutor General, and the Security Service of Ukraine held a joint briefing in Lviv regarding the investigation into Iryna Farion's murder.
  • The investigation suggests that Farion was shot with a modified pistol from a distance of 1.5-2 metres; a sports cartridge case was discovered at the scene.
  • Law enforcement agencies are investigating the suspect's ties to a neo-Nazi movement, and the investigation has not ruled out a personal grudge. Maksym Buzhansky, an MP from the Servant of the People party, was also listed as a potential victim by the suspect.
  • According to Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko, the 18-year-old suspect is a resident of Dnipro. He rented at least three apartments in Lviv while preparing for Farion’s assassination. Investigators currently believe that the shooter was only a hitman.
  • On 26 July, the court arrested 18-year-old Viacheslav Zinchenko without bail.

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