Ukrainian Verkhovna Rada Chairman Andriy Parubiy has called the law enforcement structures to punish the murderers of Belarusian journalist Pavel Sheremet, who was killed in a car blast in Kyiv on Wednesday, viewing the crime as a challenge to the Ukrainian democracy.

"I found out about the death of Sheremet this morning, I was shocked. The journalist's car was blown up cynically in downtown of Kyiv. They want to intimidate Ukrainians once again, to intimidate the Ukrainian journalists. A demonstrative, cynical murder of the journalist is a challenge to the Ukrainian democracy and law enforcement system," he said on Facebook on Wednesday.

"As the Ukrainian Verkhovna Rada chairman I call the law enforcement structures to investigate this crime immediately and punish the organizer and perpetrators. The evil should be punished," he said.