Former Ukrainian politician Andriy Portnov has been murdered in broad daylight in the streets of Madrid.
Portnov, a former senior aide to ex-Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych—who was ousted after the 2014 Maidan Revolution and lives in exile in Russia—was shot dead outside the gates of the American School in Madrid’s affluent Pozuelo neighbourhood, shortly after dropping off his daughter.
Witnesses described the murder as “a professional hit”.
Spain’s specialist Brigada de Información is investigating the killing.
According to the police, Portnov was hit with four bullets in the chest and another in the head.
A man on a motorbike was said to be waiting for Portnov at the school entrance and killed him once he was alone. The gunman was able to flee the scene, and police are searching for him.
#SUMMA112 confirma el fallecimiento de un varón con heridas por arma de fuego en #PozueloDeAlarcón.
Colabora @SEAPAPozuelo y #PolicíaLocal.@policia se encarga de la investigación. pic.twitter.com/yJJnoCcval
— 112 Comunidad de Madrid (@112cmadrid) May 21, 2025
Portnov was under investigation for his links with Russia and fled Ukraine in July 2022, despite a travel ban for military-aged males.
After fleeing Ukraine in February 2014 after the ousting of Yanukovych, Portnov lived primarily in Russia for a time, and later relocated to Austria.
In 2019, Portnov made headlines when he returned to Ukraine after five years in exile. He claimed at the time he had come back to resume his legal career.
His detractors described him as a pro-Russian politician, but rejected the claim and filed defamation lawsuits against several media outlets that referred to him in that way.
He also faced several criminal cases and was accused of treason over allegedly aiding Russia’s annexation of Crimea.
Faced with growing legal and political pressure, he left Ukraine once more in 2022.
Portnov was sanctioned by the European Union, Canada, and the United States over allegations of misappropriating public funds and committing human rights violations in Ukraine.
The latter mainly happened during the crackdown of the Euromaidan protests in 2014.
Portnov served as Deputy Head of the Presidential Administration and was considered one of Yanukovych’s top legal advisors. He helped draft and promote legislation aimed at suppressing the protests.
He is believed to have been involved in creating the so-called “dictatorship laws” passed by the Ukrainian parliament on January 16, 2014, which severely restricted the right to protest, and imposed harsh penalties for participating in demonstrations.
Since the war in Ukraine broke out, there have been notable cases of Ukrainian and Russian nationals dying under suspicious or violent circumstances in Spain.
Spain has long been a hub for Russian elites, oligarchs, and former intelligence officers. The Costa del Sol, Marbella, and other upscale areas have in particular attracted wealthy Russians.
The country has also welcomed many Ukrainian refugees since the 2022 invasion, and the Ukrainian diaspora is large and growing.
There was a bomb letter campaign in late 2022, targeting various pro-Ukrainian political, military, and diplomatic targets.
In February 2024, Maxim Kuzminov, a former Russian military pilot who had defected to Ukraine, was found dead in the town of Villajoyosa, near Alicante.
On the Russian side, there have also been several alleged suicides or murder-suicides of businessmen or their families.
