Lviv: Former Ukrainian parliamentary speaker Andriy Parubiy was shot dead in the western city of Lviv on Saturday, authorities confirmed, Reuters reported, adding that a manhunt was launched to track down the gunman.

The Prosecutor General’s Office said the attacker fired multiple shots at Parubiy, 54, killing him instantly before fleeing the scene.

Condemning the assassination, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky called Saturday's attack as a "terrible murder" and offered condolences to Parubiy's family, BBC reported.

The authorities launched a special operation, codenamed Siren, to track down and arrest the suspected shooter.

"All necessary forces and means are being deployed," Zelensky said in a statement.

Ukrainian law enforcement sources told BBC News that seven shell casings were recovered from the scene.

They added that the attacker had disguised himself as a courier for delivery company Glovo, and video footage showed the suspect carrying a yellow delivery bag. The assailant was also said to have been using an e-bike.

A Glovo spokeswoman said the company was “deeply shocked by the brutal crime” and pledged full cooperation with the investigation.

Police reported the shooting occurred around noon (0900 GMT), and President Volodymyr Zelenskyy vowed that “all necessary forces and means are engaged in the investigation and search for the killer.”

Parubiy, a sitting member of parliament, had served as speaker from April 2016 to August 2019.

He played a prominent role in the 2013–14 Euromaidan protests that pushed for closer ties with the European Union and later became secretary of the National Security and Defence Council during the early stages of the conflict in eastern Ukraine and Russia’s annexation of Crimea.

Officials did not immediately confirm whether his assassination was linked to the ongoing war with Russia.

Reuters reported that Lviv Mayor Andriy Sadovyi underscored the significance of the killing.

“This is a matter of security in a country at war, where, as we can see, there are no completely safe places," he stressed.

Tributes poured in across Ukraine. Former president Petro Poroshenko called the assassination “a shot fired at the heart of Ukraine,” hailing Parubiy’s role in strengthening the Ukrainian military.

Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha described him as “a patriot and statesman who made an enormous contribution to the defence of Ukraine’s freedom, independence and sovereignty.”

Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko also mourned the loss, calling Parubiy’s killing “a profound loss” and urging a swift investigation.

Law enforcement officials have yet to reveal details about the shooter or possible motives.