A tragic event occurred in Madrid near a private school in one of the prestigious areas of Pozuelo de Alarcón — former Ukrainian politician and ex-advisor to Viktor Yanukovych, Andriy Portnov, was shot on Wednesday morning. According to law enforcement agencies, an unknown shooter opened fire on him at the moment he was taking his children to school.
This is reported by Kyiv24
Circumstances of the Attack and Police Response
The police received reports of the shooting at 9:15 AM local time. At the scene, it was discovered that Portnov had sustained several serious gunshot wounds, including four to the chest and one to the head, which caused his death. According to sources in the police, the assailant was waiting on a motorcycle near the school gates. When the victim arrived by car, the attacker opened fire and quickly fled the scene.
“An unknown shooter or shooters shot former Ukrainian politician Andriy Portnov on Wednesday morning near the gates of an American school in the affluent Madrid area of Pozuelo de Alarcón”
Law enforcement officials are currently not disclosing the name of the killer and are conducting an investigation, considering a possible version of personal vendetta between the shooter and Portnov.
About the Former Politician and Possible Motives for the Attack
Andriy Portnov was a well-known pro-Russian politician and lawyer. He served as the First Deputy Head of the Administration of the President of Ukraine during Viktor Yanukovych’s presidency and was his senior advisor. Accused of treason, he also participated in the adoption of the so-called “January 16 laws” during the Euromaidan protests. After the Revolution of Dignity in February 2014, he left Ukraine and was in Russia, later moving to Vienna, where he practiced law.
According to open sources, several criminal proceedings were opened against Portnov, including regarding possible involvement in the annexation of Crimea, but most of them were closed or challenged in court. In 2021, the United States imposed visa and financial sanctions on him due to suspicions of large-scale corruption in Ukraine.
As noted by experts and sources, the motives for the attack remain unknown, but there is a version that it may be related to political or personal conflicts arising from his past activities.