Iryna Farion’s daughter: Killer shows no remorse. Life sentence would be fair
The murder of Iryna Farion, a monolingualist and social activist, which took place on July 19, 2024, in Lviv, sparked widespread public outrage. According to eyewitnesses, the killer was a young man who was waiting for her in the courtyard. He was wearing gloves and had a pistol without a silencer. He shot her in the head and fled.
Law enforcement officers carried out a large-scale operation and, within a few days, arrested the suspect – 18-year-old Viacheslav Zinchenko – in Dnipro. The Halytskyi District Court in Lviv remanded him in custody without the possibility of bail. He has been behind bars ever since. He was charged with the premeditated murder of a person in the course of their civic duty, motivated by national intolerance, as well as the unlawful possession of a firearm. This carries a sentence of life imprisonment. The indictment was submitted to the court at the end of December 2024. The trial is still ongoing. The court has examined the investigation materials, including evidence, questioned witnesses, and heard the arguments of the prosecution and the defence. The defendant went on hunger strike, declared his intention to commit suicide and complained of ill health. He refuses to testify. When the case reached its final stage – the closing arguments – Zinchenko changed his lawyers: instead of Ihor Sulym and Volodymyr Voronyak, he is now being defended by Larysa Kryvoruchko. On 5 May in court, she filed a motion to recuse court clerk Viktoria-Maria Komarnytska, arguing that she had not been notified of the hearing in good time, as well as a motion to recuse the panel of judges, calling it unlawful. The lawyer’s motions were rejected. In addition, Kryvoruchko requested time to review the case materials – 30 volumes – over a period of three months. The court granted her until 20 May and adjourned the hearing.
"Censor.NET" spoke with Iryna Farion’s daughter, Sofia Osoba, who shared her perspective on the proceedings in court and the defence’s actions, explained how she reacted to the use of Russian in the courtroom, and shared her memories of her mother.
- Ms Sofia, what does the change of Zinchenko’s lawyers mean? How did you feel about this?
- The defendant has the right to have lawyers and to exercise the right to a defence. But the constant change of lawyers in the case concerning the murder of the public figure, academic and professor Iryna Farion appears to be a delaying tactic.
- Zinchenko’s new lawyer, Larysa Kryvoruchko, immediately filed several motions to recuse the court clerk and the panel of judges, but these were rejected. There was also a motion to change the conditions of the defendant’s presence in the courtroom – so that he would not be in a glass booth. She also requested up to three months to review the court proceedings, but the court granted two weeks. You said that in this way the defence is trying to divert attention from the substance of the case. How do you assess such tactics?
- I believe this is an attempt to divert attention from the substance of the case and the evidence. The defendant’s lawyers will do everything to drag out the trial – it looks like a carefully thought-out strategy. First there were claims of a hunger strike, then an attempted suicide by hanging, followed by fainting spells and a refusal to be represented by lawyers. All this is reminiscent of the very ‘court show’ that Zinchenko himself spoke of. But every show must come to an end, and for Zinchenko, that end is life imprisonment.
At the same time, the defence has not provided a single piece of concrete evidence of the defendant’s innocence. The fight continues, and the truth is on our side. God and Ukraine can see this.
- Kryvoruchko spoke to Zinchenko in Russian in court. What emotions did that evoke in you?
- I think it was done provocatively. In this case, it is not just the enemy’s language. It is a language that wounds my soul. It was in this very language that the murderer cold-bloodedly shot my mother in the head. And it was in this same language that the order was given to kill my husband – a defender of Ukraine, a senior soldier and mortar operator, Vasyl Osoba. That is why this evokes in me not only outrage, but also very deep pain.
- Following the hearing on 5 May, Kryvoruchko published a post on Facebook in which she wrote, in part: "The defence respects the memory of Iryna Farion and the feelings of her supporters. At the same time, it is a historical fact that in her youth she was a member of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union, as confirmed by public journalistic investigations." How did you take this? What would you say to her?
- I’ll answer with a quote from my mother: "The small will never comprehend the great." Iryna Farion has long been a symbol of the struggle for the Ukrainian language and Ukrainian identity. She has already gone down in Ukrainian history, whilst others will remain forever at the bottom of history. The assassin failed to kill Iryna Farion’s ideas. On the contrary – we have become even stronger and continue the struggle of the Great Ukrainian Woman. I thank everyone who supports me: the military, friends, and my mother’s comrades from the All-Ukrainian Union "Svoboda".
- What do you actually know about Kryvoruchko? They say her services aren’t cheap. Do you know who is funding Zinchenko’s defence? Mother was apparently collecting money for the lawyers. Is that true?
- I don’t count other people’s money. But surely you must have a great deal of money to turn down private lawyers so often. In this case, we are looking at the accused Zinchenko, not his lawyers. At the same time, it is worth noting that Zinchenko has refused to be questioned on three occasions. Presumably, there are things he does not wish to explain. Some very simple questions arise: why did an ordinary lad from Dnipro end up on Masaryk Street in a residential area of Lviv? Why was he looking for power cut schedules specifically on Masaryk Street? Why did forensic reports confirm that the man in the panama hat is Viacheslav Zinchenko? He doesn’t want to explain this. Instead, we see shouting, theatrics and manipulation. To me, it looks like the final throes before sentencing.
- Why, in your opinion, is Zinchenko refusing to testify?
- You’d have to ask him that yourself. But I remember how condescending he was after his arrest, saying, ‘Time will tell,’ when asked about the murder. Today, we see a man behind bars trying to portray himself as innocent.
- Prosecutor Dmytro Petlovanyi reported that during the pre-trial investigation, over 60 expert examinations were carried out, more than 1,500 people were questioned, and a vast amount of CCTV footage was analysed. Does the prosecution have sufficient evidence of Zinchenko’s guilt?
- According to the case file, Zinchenko is the murderer of Iryna Farion.
- On 3 September, you spoke to Zinchenko in court for the first time. What impression did that conversation leave? How do you perceive him today?
- He struck me as a cold-blooded and cruel person. I saw no remorse or compassion. I constantly think about what my mum must have felt in the last seconds of her life, when she saw before her a person capable of such a brutal crime. It’s terrifying.
- What struck you most during the trial? Which moment was the hardest?
- The hardest part was the closing arguments, when I heard all the details of Iryna Farion’s murder again. It takes me back to that day and makes me relive it all over again.
- What could have been Zinchenko’s motive for murdering your mother?
- In my opinion, the motive was hatred towards Iryna Farion because of her principled civic stance as a Ukrainian, her fight for the language, national identity and the Ukrainian state.
Mum never kept quiet, never compromised, and was never afraid to speak the truth. She was a symbol of Ukrainian strength and uncompromising spirit. It is precisely such people that Ukraine’s enemies hate the most.
I am convinced that this was not a spontaneous crime, but a meticulously planned murder. The perpetrator prepared, watched, studied her routes and place of residence. All this points to a deliberate intention to kill Iryna Farion specifically – a public figure who fought for the Ukrainian language and the Ukrainian nation for decades. But the killer failed to destroy the most important thing – her ideas. Because today her voice rings out even louder, and thousands of Ukrainians are continuing Iryna Farion’s struggle.
- What would justice mean to you in this case?
- Only a life sentence for a meticulously planned crime, for which, as is evident from the case files, the killer had been preparing for a long time.
- Has your attitude towards the public eye changed since the tragedy?
- This tragedy forced me to go public and to honour Iryna Farion’s memory with dignity. Did I want this? No. But today I understand that I must continue my mother’s struggle and defend her name.
- 29 April is Iryna Dmytrivna’s birthday. On this day, a memorial service was held at the Garrison Church, and her memory was honoured with prayer at her grave in Lychakiv Cemetery. You and your children planted a tree and a rose bush at the site of your mother’s murder. Tell us, what does this symbolise?
- For me, it is a symbol of life, which is stronger than death. It is a symbol of memory that continues to live and grow even through the greatest pain.
We planted a bird cherry – a tree that blooms in April, the month of my mum’s birthday. And the roses are a symbol of the love, warmth and beauty that my mum brought to people.
- Which of your mum’s traits do you recognise most in yourself?
- Strength. Unwavering commitment to my values. Love for children.
And also – Mum’s words, which guide me through pain and struggle: ‘I wish you strength of will! And if they get to you – then you must fly higher.’
- What do you remember most about your mum?
- I remember our daily phone calls. I remember Mum saying: "How are you, Sofiarochka?".
I remember family celebrations, hugs, boundless warmth. For me, Mum is a world of protection and love. That’s why my Irynka, as I always called her, is still by my side. She gives me strength and is my guardian angel.
Olha Moskaliuk, "Censor.NET"
Photos provided by Sofia Osoba
