Deaths Among Members of Ukraine's Parliament
At least ten members of Ukraine's Verkhovna Rada, elected in 2019 for its ninth convocation, have died before the end of their terms. The most recent fatality was Orest Salamakha, a member of the 'Servant of the People' party, who died in a traffic accident in the Lviv region. He was driving an ATV when he crossed into oncoming traffic and collided with a bus. Salamakha was resuscitated at the scene and taken to a hospital, where he died at 8:00 PM.
Other Parliamentarians Who Have Died
Other notable deaths among the convocation's members include:
- Oleksandr Kabanov of the 'Servant of the People' faction, who died in January 2026 at age 52.
- Valeriy Davydenko, who died in 2020; the primary investigation pointed to suicide.
- Anton Polyakov, a 'Servant of the People' MP, died in October 2021 from acute coronary insufficiency and ischemic heart disease.
- Oleksiy Kovalov was killed in his own home in August 2022.
- Andriy Ivanchuk, head of the Parliamentary Committee on Economic Policy, died in September 2023.
- Oleg Makarov, an MP from the 'Voice' party, died in October 2024 at age 59.
- Volodymyr Moroz from the 'Restoration of Ukraine' faction died in 2025 at age 57.
- Serhiy Shvets of 'Servant of the People' died on May 28, 2025, from cancer at age 48.
- Yaroslav Rushchyshyn from the 'Voice' party died in a car accident in the Ivano-Frankivsk region on July 24, 2025.
Orest Salamakha was elected in 2019 from district No. 121 in the Lviv region, served on the Budget Committee, and chaired the subcommittee on local budgets. The loss of these lawmakers is a significant event for the parliament, highlighting the difficult circumstances Ukrainian politicians face. The high number of premature deaths in a single parliamentary term is unusual for a European legislature and reflects the challenging environment in Ukraine.
The deaths of Orest Salamakha and other deputies point to considerable instability and risks confronting Ukrainian politicians.
Frequent losses among elected officials could impact the country's political landscape, affecting the work of the Verkhovna Rada and its legislative functions. This also underscores the importance of safety for all participants in Ukraine's political process.