Latest news with #ViktorYanukovych
The Independent
25-05-2025
- Politics
- The Independent
Who is Andriy Portnov? Former Ukrainian politician killed on school run in Spain
A former Ukrainian politician and key aide to the ousted pro-Russian president Viktor Yanukovych has been killed. Andriy Portnov, 51, was gunned down on Wednesday morning outside the gates of the American School in Madrid's affluent neighbourhood of Pozuelo. Police received the call about the shooting at 9.15 am local time. Radio station Cadena SER said the man was taking his children to school when he was shot. Mr Portnov, from the eastern region of Luhansk, is a former Ukrainian politician closely tied to Yanukovych, having served as deputy head of the presidential office from 2010 to 2014. Yanukovych was Ukraine 's last pro-Russian president, who was ousted in 2014, following pro-democracy and pro-European Union protests, after he refused to sign an EU association pact, choosing instead to do an energy deal with Russia. During Yanukovych's presidency, Portnov was widely viewed as a pro-Kremlin political figure and was involved in drafting legislation, known as the 'laws of January 16', which were aimed at persecuting participants of the 2014 revolution in Ukraine. According to Ukrainian media, he later denied a role in their development but admitted to approving them for the then-president's signature. When Yanukovych fled Ukraine for Moscow that same year, effectively ending his premiership, Portnov reportedly followed him to the Russian capital. Portnov then faced numerous investigations and sanctions against him, both from Ukraine and the European Union. Ukraine's interior ministry labelled him a wanted person in 2015 but dropped the accusations a year later. The Council of the European Union slapped personal sanctions against him, along with 18 other associates of Yanukovych, but these were also later dropped due to a lack of evidence. He moved to Vienna, Austria, a year later, before eventually returning to Ukraine, where he ran a TV show criticising the presidency of Petro Poroshenko, the billionaire who assumed office after Yanukovych was ousted. In 2018, Ukraine's Security Service, or SBU, opened an investigation against him on suspicion of state treason, alleging his involvement in Russia's illegal annexation of the Crimean Peninsula. The criminal case was closed in 2019, and Portnov filed his own lawsuit demanding the allegations against him be treated as false. But in 2021, the US state department announced sweeping sanctions against Portnov, describing him as a 'court fixer'. 'Widely known as a court fixer, Portnov was credibly accused of using his influence to buy access and decisions in Ukraine's courts and undermining reform efforts,' the department said in a statement. 'As of 2019, Portnov took steps to control the Ukrainian judiciary, influence associated legislation, sought to place loyal officials in senior judiciary positions, and purchase court decisions.' They added that they believed Portnov had colluded with a high-ranking Ukrainian government official to shape the country's legal institutions to their advantage and influence Ukraine's Constitutional Court. He was also reportedly involved in an attempt to influence the Ukrainian Prosecutor-General.
Yahoo
25-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Murdered on the school run: The controversial Ukrainian gunned down in Madrid
Andriy Portnov's murder in a Madrid suburb has shocked Ukrainians, but it has not exactly triggered an outpouring of grief. The controversial former official had just dropped his children off at the American School when he was shot several times in the car park. The image of his lifeless body lying face down in a gym kit marked the end of a life synonymous with Ukrainian corruption and Russian influence. Ukraine's media have been discussing the 51-year-old's frequent threats to journalists, as well as his huge influence under the country's last pro-Russian president, Viktor Yanukovych. "A man who called for the killing of political opponents suddenly got what he wanted from others," observed reporter Oleksandr Holubov. News website Ukrayinska Pravda even called him "the devil's advocate". Rare words of restraint came from Portnov's once political rival Serhiy Vlasenko, an MP, who said: "You can't kill people. When discussing someone's death, we must remain human." Portnov was controversial and widely disliked. The motives for his murder may seem evident, but his death has still left unanswered questions. Before entering Ukrainian politics, Portnov ran a law firm. He worked with then-Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko until 2010, before defecting to Yanukovych's camp when he won the election. "It was a big story of betrayal," remembers Ukrainian journalist Kristina Berdynskykh. "Because Tymoshenko was a pro-Western politician, and Yanukovych pro-Russian." The adviser became the country's first deputy head of the Presidential Office and set up a national criminal code in 2012. For him, his critics say, his ascent was less about politics, and more about power and influence. "He was just a good lawyer, everyone knew he was very smart," Kristina tells me. After the collapse of the Soviet Union in the early 1990s, Ukraine inherited a judicial system in desperate need of reform. Mykhailo Zhernakov, a legal expert and head of the Dejure Foundation believes Portnov remoulded it in order for the government to cover up illegal schemes, and to mask Russian attempts to control the country. "He was the kingpin, mastermind and architect of this corrupt legal system designed to serve the pro-Russian administration at the time," he says. Over a decade, Portnov would sue journalists who wrote negative stories about him through the courts and judges he controlled. His attempts to control the judicial system would lead to him being sanctioned by the US. At the time, Washington accused the adviser of placing loyal officials in senior positions for his own benefit, as well as "buying court decisions". Portnov later pursued activists who took part in Ukraine's Maidan Revolution, which toppled Viktor Yanukovych from power, and forced him to escape the country to Russia. "He used sexual threats," says Oksana Romaniuk who remembers her and other journalists' interactions with Portnov well. As director of the Institute of Mass Information, she monitors free speech in Ukraine. Whenever a damning report was published, the reaction was familiar and consistent. "When people exposed his corruption, he accused them of fake news," she says. "Even when journalists had documents and testimonies backing up the allegations, it was impossible to win the lawsuits in court. It was impossible to defend yourself. It was a rotten system." Andriy Portnov eventually settled in Moscow after his old boss Yanukovych fled in 2014. Investigative reporter Maksym Savchuk subsequently investigated his ties to Moscow, as well as his extensive property portfolio there. "He responded with words I don't want to quote, derogatory ones about my mother," he remembers. "It's a trait of his character; he is a very vindictive person." Even after leaving Ukraine, Portnov still tried to influence Ukrainian politics by taking control of pro-Kremlin TV channel NewsOne. He returned in 2019, only to flee again with the full-scale invasion in 2022. The irony of Portnov eventually settling in Spain and sending his children to a prestigious American school has not been lost on many. Alongside the undisguised delight in Portnov's death, there has been endless speculation over who was responsible. "It could have been the Russians because he knew so many things," suggests legal expert Mykhailo Zhernakov. "He was involved in so many shady Russian operations it could be them or other criminal groups. He managed to annoy a lot of people," he says. Despite the motives being clearer on this side of the border, Ukrainian security sources appear to be trying to distance themselves from the killing. Kyiv has previously carried out assassinations in Russian-occupied territory and in Russia itself, but not in Spain. Some Spanish media reports suggest his murder was not political, but rather over "economic reasons or revenge". "You can imagine how many people need to be interrogated in order to narrow down the suspects," thinks Maskym Savchuk. "Because this person has a thousand and one enemies." In Ukraine, Portnov is seen as someone who helped Russia form the foundations for its invasion. A once general dislike of him has only been intensified since 2022. Despite this, Mykhailo Zhernakov hopes his death is also an opportunity for wider judicial reforms. "Just because he's gone doesn't mean his influence has," he warns. "Because many of the people he appointed or helped get jobs are still in the system." Additional reporting by Hanna Chornous. Trump's call with Putin exposes shifting ground on Ukraine peace talks Why Zelensky can't and won't give up Crimea Beginning of the end? Ukraine's front-line soldiers eye Russia talks with hope Ukraine makes gains in its other war - fighting corruption
BBC News
24-05-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
Ukraine: Andriy Portnov's murder leaves unanswered questions and little sympathy
Andriy Portnov's murder in a Madrid suburb has shocked Ukrainians, but it has not exactly triggered an outpouring of controversial former official had just dropped his children off at the American School when he was shot several times in the car image of his lifeless body lying face down in a gym kit marked the end of a life synonymous with Ukrainian corruption and Russian media have been discussing the 51-year-old's frequent threats to journalists, as well as his huge influence under the country's last pro-Russian president, Viktor Yanukovych."A man who called for the killing of political opponents suddenly got what he wanted from others," observed reporter Oleksandr Holubov. News website Ukrayinska Pravda even called him "the devil's advocate". Rare words of restraint came from Portnov's once political rival Serhiy Vlasenko, an MP, who said: "You can't kill people. When discussing someone's death, we must remain human."Portnov was controversial and widely disliked. The motives for his murder may seem evident, but his death has still left unanswered questions. 'A kingpin' Before entering Ukrainian politics, Portnov ran a law firm. He worked with then-Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko until 2010, before defecting to Yanukovych's camp when he won the election."It was a big story of betrayal," remembers Ukrainian journalist Kristina Berdynskykh. "Because Tymoshenko was a pro-Western politician, and Yanukovych pro-Russian." The adviser became the country's first deputy head of the Presidential Office and set up a national criminal code in 2012. For him, his critics say, his ascent was less about politics, and more about power and influence."He was just a good lawyer, everyone knew he was very smart," Kristina tells the collapse of the Soviet Union in the early 1990s, Ukraine inherited a judicial system in desperate need of reform. Mykhailo Zhernakov, a legal expert and head of the Dejure Foundation believes Portnov remoulded it in order for the government to cover up illegal schemes, and to mask Russian attempts to control the country."He was the kingpin, mastermind and architect of this corrupt legal system designed to serve the pro-Russian administration at the time," he says. 'A rotten system' Over a decade, Portnov would sue journalists who wrote negative stories about him through the courts and judges he controlled. His attempts to control the judicial system would lead to him being sanctioned by the the time, Washington accused the adviser of placing loyal officials in senior positions for his own benefit, as well as "buying court decisions".Portnov later pursued activists who took part in Ukraine's Maidan Revolution, which toppled Viktor Yanukovych from power, and forced him to escape the country to Russia."He used sexual threats," says Oksana Romaniuk who remembers her and other journalists' interactions with Portnov director of the Institute of Mass Information, she monitors free speech in a damning report was published, the reaction was familiar and consistent. "When people exposed his corruption, he accused them of fake news," she says."Even when journalists had documents and testimonies backing up the allegations, it was impossible to win the lawsuits in court. It was impossible to defend yourself. It was a rotten system." Andriy Portnov eventually settled in Moscow after his old boss Yanukovych fled in 2014. Investigative reporter Maksym Savchuk subsequently investigated his ties to Moscow, as well as his extensive property portfolio there."He responded with words I don't want to quote, derogatory ones about my mother," he remembers. "It's a trait of his character; he is a very vindictive person."Even after leaving Ukraine, Portnov still tried to influence Ukrainian politics by taking control of pro-Kremlin TV channel returned in 2019, only to flee again with the full-scale invasion in irony of Portnov eventually settling in Spain and sending his children to a prestigious American school has not been lost on many. Alongside the undisguised delight in Portnov's death, there has been endless speculation over who was responsible."It could have been the Russians because he knew so many things," suggests legal expert Mykhailo Zhernakov."He was involved in so many shady Russian operations it could be them or other criminal groups. He managed to annoy a lot of people," he says. Despite the motives being clearer on this side of the border, Ukrainian security sources appear to be trying to distance themselves from the killing. Kyiv has previously carried out assassinations in Russian-occupied territory and in Russia itself, but not in Spanish media reports suggest his murder was not political, but rather over "economic reasons or revenge"."You can imagine how many people need to be interrogated in order to narrow down the suspects," thinks Maskym Savchuk. "Because this person has a thousand and one enemies."In Ukraine, Portnov is seen as someone who helped Russia form the foundations for its invasion. A once general dislike of him has only been intensified since this, Mykhailo Zhernakov hopes his death is also an opportunity for wider judicial reforms."Just because he's gone doesn't mean his influence has," he warns. "Because many of the people he appointed or helped get jobs are still in the system."Additional reporting by Hanna Chornous.
CNN
22-05-2025
- Politics
- CNN
Sanctioned Ukrainian ex-politician shot dead outside Madrid's American school
Madrid, Spain CNN — Former Ukrainian politician Andriy Portnov, who worked as a senior aide to pro-Russian former President Viktor Yanukovych, has been shot dead outside a school near the Spanish capital Madrid, Spanish authorities told CNN. Portnov, 51, a lawyer and former lawmaker, was the deputy head of Yanukovych's administration before it was ousted in Ukraine's 2014 pro-democracy uprising. He was shot several times by multiple assailants on Wednesday as he was getting into a car around 9:15 a.m. local time (3:15 a.m. ET), a Spanish police source told CNN, adding that the assailants fled into a wooded area. The Madrid region's Summa emergency services said he had three gunshot wounds, including one to the head, and he died shortly after the first ambulance arrived on the scene. The shooting took place outside the American School of Madrid, located in Pozuelo de Alaracon, an affluent suburb just west of Madrid. The school sent out various urgent messages to parents following the incident, which took place shortly after school drop-off, noting that all students were safe and that the school believes the victim is the father of a student but was awaiting formal identification, a source close to the school told CNN. Police cordoned off the area outside the elite school, which has just over 1,000 students from the United States, Spain and several dozen other countries. Portnov was sanctioned by the United States in 2021 for corruption and bribery under the Magnitsky Act. He was 'credibly accused of using his influence to buy access and decisions in Ukraine's courts and undermining reform effort,' according to the US Treasury Department. The Magnitsky Act, signed into law in December 2012, blocks entry into the US and freezes the assets of certain Russian and pro-Russian government officials and businessmen accused of human rights violations. The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry and the office of the President of Ukraine have not commented on Portnov's death. The Security Service of Ukraine previously investigated Portnov's possible involvement in Russia's annexation of Crimea, but the case was later closed. The former politician fled Ukraine months after Russia launched its full-scale invasion in February 2022, according to an investigation by Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, when men of draft age were not permitted to leave. Canada also froze his assets in 2014 as part of a crackdown on 'corrupt foreign officials,' in relation to his work as a former adviser to ousted ex-Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych. Portnov was appointed deputy head of Yanukovych's administration in 2010, as well as the head of Ukraine's Main Directorate for Judicial Reform and Judicial System. At the same time, Portnov became a member of the board of the National Bank of Ukraine. Yanukovych was driven from office by mass demonstrations in Ukraine in 2014 after he turned his back on the European Union in favor of closer ties with Russia. Yanukovych then fled Ukraine for Russia, along with Portnov and other high-level former officials in the wake of the 2014 pro-democracy, pro-European Maidan protests. Portnov later returned to Ukraine in 2019. Ukraine itself never imposed sanctions on Portnov. In December 2024, media and civil society organizations in the country launched a petition demanding sanctions against him, alleging continued corruption aimed at controlling the Ukrainian judiciary, and highlighting concerns that he was going after critical journalists with lawsuits and threats. Portnov once released the personal data of several members of an investigative journalism project run by RFE/RL, who were looking into his dealings with the Ukrainian government. The petition gathered 25,000 signatures, but Ukraine's Cabinet of Ministers rejected it, citing insufficient grounds for sanctions. Other killings Portnov is not the only ally of former Ukrainian President Yanukovych who was killed after he was ousted from power. In 2015, CNN reported on two high-profile shooting deaths in the Ukrainian capital – one of a former member of parliament with ties to Yanukovych, the other of a Ukrainian journalist known for his pro-Russian views. At the time, those killings renewed speculation about a conspiracy to kill people close to Yanukovych, after three former members of parliament from his political party died by suspected suicide, found dead in their homes. Spain has also experienced a recent spate of attacks related to the Russia-Ukraine war, and it has significant populations of expatriates from both countries. In 2022, there was an explosion at Ukraine's embassy in Madrid, injuring one Ukrainian employee who was handling a letter addressed to Kyiv's ambassador to Spain, officials said. Other letter bombs followed, including one sent to the Spanish prime minister. A Spanish man was eventually arrested for the bombs, which a judge said were intended to disturb public peace and create pressure for Spain to suppress its support to Ukraine. Spain has provided humanitarian and military support to Ukraine since the Russian invasion. In 2024, a Russian pilot who dramatically defected to Ukraine by flying his helicopter across the border was found dead in Alicante, Spain, after being shot in the parking garage of an apartment building. Al Goodman reported from Madrid. Lauren Kent and Jack Guy wrote and reported from London.
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First Post
22-05-2025
- Politics
- First Post
Former Ukrainian top leader shot dead by 'several men' outside school in Spain
Ukrainian ex-MP Viktor Yanukovych was a lawmaker in the 2000s and became deputy head of the presidential administration under Yanukovych, an ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin, before fleeing to Russia in 2014 after cracking down on pro-EU protests in Ukraine read more A US-sanctioned Ukrainian ex-MP and senior aide to the country's former pro-Russian president Viktor Yanukovych was shot dead near Madrid on Wednesday, a Spanish police source told rushed to the upmarket town of Pozuelo de Alarcon where several people shot a man in the back and head as he prepared to climb into a vehicle, the source said, identifying the victim as Andriy Portnov. The shooters then fled from the scene towards a wooded area, the source added, saying the attack struck outside an American private school at around 9:15 am (0715 GMT). Madrid emergency services found a dead man sprawled on the pavement near the school with at least three gunshot wounds, spokeswoman Encarna Fernandez told reporters at the scene. Spanish media reported the victim had just dropped off his children at the school before he was killed. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD AFP journalists saw forensics officers take away a disfigured corpse wearing a white T-shirt soaked with blood. Armed police had cordoned off the area and a forensics team was collecting fingerprints from a black Mercedes. Alvaro Fernandez Garcia, a 22-year-old student who lives nearby, told AFP the shooting was 'shocking'. 'We usually see this on the news, or in other countries,' he added. Sanctioned for corruption Portnov was a lawmaker in the 2000s and became deputy head of the presidential administration under Yanukovych, an ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin, before fleeing to Russia in 2014 after cracking down on pro-EU protests in Ukraine. Portnov lived in Russia and Austria before returning to his home country following the election of President Volodymyr Zelensky. The United States imposed sanctions on him in 2021 for alleged corruption, saying he had used his influence in the judiciary and law enforcement to buy access in Ukrainian courts and undermine reform efforts. He was also known in Ukraine for insulting and threatening journalists, as well as filing numerous lawsuits against media professionals. 'It's hard to overstate Portnov's role in intimidating Ukrainian journalists and undermining freedom of speech in Ukraine,' Anna Babinets, founder of investigative news outlet wrote on Facebook. According to media reports, he used his connections within the spheres of power to escape Ukraine again in 2022, despite a ban on men liable for military service leaving the country during the Russian invasion. Ukrainian authorities had not commented on the incident, but a military intelligence official told AFP on condition of anonymity that Portnov had been shot dead. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Ukraine has claimed or been linked with several assassinations in Russia and Moscow-occupied parts of Ukraine since the start of the invasion in 2022, targeting political or military officials or ideological supporters of the war. Killings have also been attributed to Russia. In February 2024, the corpse of a helicopter pilot who had deserted the Russian military was found riddled with bullets near the Spanish coastal resort of Benidorm. El Pais daily reported that Spanish intelligence sources had 'no doubt that the long arm of the Kremlin was behind this unprecedented crime'. Spain hosts more than 300,000 Ukrainians, most of them beneficiaries of temporary protection granted after they fled the Russian invasion, according to government data.
