Trukhanov and Goncharenko may have been targets of the killer Farion

Vyacheslav Zinchenko, who was convicted of the murder of Iryna Farion, may have been planning another murder. Among the possible targets named were former Odessa Mayor Gennady Trukhanov, Member of Parliament Oleksiy Goncharenko, and volunteer Serhiy Sternenko.

This information came to light during a broadcast of the court hearing on “Suspilne.”

The names of Trukhanov, Goncharenko, and other well-known politicians were mentioned during the sentencing in Lviv. The Shevchenkivskyi District Court sentenced 20-year-old Vyacheslav Zinchenko, who was accused of murdering linguist Iryna Farion.

Farion, a Ukrainian philologist and former member of parliament, last visited Odesa in February 2024. The politician presented her book *Anglicisms and Anti-Anglicisms: 100 Stories of Words in a Sociocultural Context*. 

Zinchenko was charged with intentional murder motivated by national intolerance and illegal possession of a firearm. He did not admit guilt.

As the judge stated, Zinchenko’s guilt was proven beyond a reasonable doubt.

During the hearing, his personal notes were also read aloud; according to the investigation, they outlined a plan for the crime and his subsequent escape.

“While others were protesting and peacefully going home, I silently sharpened a knife to do what millions had dreamed of. I consider myself a purifier of society, even though I acted out of personal animosity. I have made my choice and will see it through to the end, because otherwise I will lose respect for myself,” Zinchenko wrote in his diary.

Judging by Zinchenko’s notes provided to investigators, after the murder he began looking for a new victim. The list included dozens of categories of people and specific names: “members of parliament with a bad reputation,” “mongrels” (in far-right slang, anti-fascists), “bureaucrats” (Tatarov, Yermak, Arakhamia, Podolyak), pro-Russian politicians, and former “Party of Regions” members. Among them were former Odessa Mayor Hennadiy Trukhanov and People’s Deputy Oleksiy Goncharenko.

Separately, he noted: “Poroshenko—that would be ideal” and “Buzhansky—a total nutcase.”

Profiles containing the phone numbers and addresses of Dnipro Mayor Filatov and volunteer Serhiy Sternenko were found on his computer.

On the evening of July 19, 2024, in Lviv, an unknown assailant shot Iryna Farion near her home. She died in the hospital a few hours later. Her funeral was held on July 23.

On July 25, 18-year-old Vyacheslav Zinchenko was arrested in Dnipro. On July 26, the court remanded him in custody without the right to bail.

Ірина Глухова