Ukrainian Ex-Official Andriy Portnov Murdered in Madrid Shooting

Andriy Portnov, a former leading figure in Ukrainian politics, was shot and killed outside a school in Madrid, sparking a search for the gunman.

A shocking act of violence occurred in Pozuelo de Alarcón, a suburb of Madrid, where former Ukrainian official Andriy Portnov was reportedly shot dead while dropping off his children at an American school. According to various Ukrainian and Spanish sources, the incident happened around 9:15 AM local time, just as children were arriving at the school.

Eyewitness reports indicate that at least one unidentified shooter opened fire, hitting Portnov multiple times in the back and the head before fleeing the scene into a nearby public park. Police quickly launched a search operation, deploying drones and a helicopter in the hunt for the assailant, described as a thin man clad in a blue tracksuit, possibly aided by a motorbike accomplice.

Portnov, aged 51, was a significant figure in Ukrainian politics, having served as an MP and deputy in the administration of pro-Russian President Viktor Yanukovych, who was ousted in the 2014 Euromaidan protests. After leaving Ukraine following the revolution, he returned briefly in 2019, only to leave again two years later. The U.S. Treasury sanctioned Portnov in 2021, identifying him as a "court fixer" involved in judicial manipulation.

Though the European Union had previously imposed sanctions against him, Portnov successfully challenged these in court. Details regarding the motivation behind this brazen attack remain unclear at this time, leaving the potential involvement of various parties under scrutiny.

Emergency services at the scene confirmed that Portnov had sustained multiple gunshot wounds, and the school assured parents that all students were unharmed. This incident draws parallels to previous violent events involving Ukrainian figures abroad, including a related shooting of a Russian defected pilot in Spain last year, underlining the tense and dangerous dynamics former officials may face. The investigation into Portnov’s murder continues as authorities seek to identify suspects and understand the motive behind this assassination.