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The Guardian
21-05-2025
- Politics
- The Guardian
Former Ukrainian politician shot dead outside Madrid school
Unidentified gunmen have shot and killed a former Ukrainian politician, Andriy Portnov, outside a school in an upmarket suburb of Madrid. The killing of Portnov, who had worked as a senior aide to Ukraine's pro-Russian former president, Viktor Yanukovych, took place on Wednesday morning outside the American School of Madrid in Pozuelo de Alarcón. Authorities said he had been targeted when he was getting into his car, a black Mercedes-Benz. 'Several persons shot him in the back and the head and then fled towards a forested area,' said a source at Spain's interior ministry. Local media said Portnov had been dropping off his children at the school, where classes had begun 30 minutes before the shooting. He was found dead when medics arrived and had sustained at least three shots to his body, according to Madrid's emergency services. Police cordoned off the car park of the private school, while helicopters and drones circled above, searching for the suspected killers. Widely seen as a pro-Russia political figure, Portnov, 52, had been involved in drafting legislation targeting participants of the 2014 revolution in Ukraine before Yanukovych was ousted by a popular uprising. Portnov fled Ukraine shortly afterwards. In 2015, he was reportedly living in Russia and later relocated to Austria. In recent years, he had been the subject of multiple investigations. In 2018, Ukraine's security service SBU opened an investigation against him on suspicion of state treason, alleging Portnov was involved in Russia's illegal annexation of the Crimean peninsula. The criminal case was closed in 2019. In 2021, the US Treasury department imposed sanctions upon him, alleging that 'Portnov took steps to control the Ukrainian judiciary, influence associated legislation, sought to place loyal officials in senior judiciary positions, and purchase court decisions'. Portnov, who was also the subject of European Union sanctions that were later dropped, appeared to have been living in Madrid since at least April 2024, according to a report by Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. Since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Spain has been the scene of several high-profile crimes involving Russians and Ukrainians. In 2022, six letter bombs were sent to targets across the country, including Spain's prime minister, Pedro Sánchez, the Ukrainian and US embassies, and government offices. A retired Spanish civil servant, who opposed western support for Ukraine after Russia's invasion, was later found guilty of terrorism and manufacturing explosives. In February 2024, a Russian helicopter pilot who had defected to Ukraine one year earlier in a secret operation was found dead from gunshot wounds in a parking garage near the coastal city of Alicante. Wednesday's shooting marked the second high-profile shooting in Madrid in as many years; in 2023, the Spanish rightwing politician and former vice-president of the European parliament, Alejo Vidal-Quadras, survived after being shot in the face by a masked gunman in a wealthy Madrid neighbourhood. Police later arrested five people in connection with the shooting, though the suspected gunman – a French national of Tunisian origin with several previous convictions in France – remains at large. With contributions from the Associated Press, Agence France-Presse and Reuters
BreakingNews.ie
21-05-2025
- Politics
- BreakingNews.ie
Adviser to ex-Ukrainian president Yanukovych shot dead outside school in Spain
An adviser to former Ukrainian president Viktor Yanukovych has been shot dead outside a school in Madrid, Spanish authorities said. Spain's Interior Ministry identified the victim as Andrii Portnov. Advertisement Authorities said he was shot at 9.15am local time (0815 BST). Members of the judicial police at the scene after an adviser to former Ukrainian president Viktor Yanukovych was shot outside a school in Madrid, Spain (Paul White/AP) Mr Portnov is a former Ukrainian politician closely tied to Mr Yanukovych, having served as deputy head of the presidential office from 2010 to 2014. During Mr Yanukovych's presidency, Mr Portnov was widely viewed as a pro-Russia political figure and was involved in drafting legislation aimed at persecuting participants of the 2014 revolution in Ukraine.
Al Bawaba
21-05-2025
- Politics
- Al Bawaba
Video: Former Ukraine MP killed in a shooting in Madrid
Published May 21st, 2025 - 10:28 GMT ALBAWABA - Former Ukrainian MP Andriy Portnov was shot dead in Madrid, The Kyiv Post reported on Wednesday. According to the website, the shooting occurred at 9:15 a.m. local time near the entrance of the American School of Madrid. The Spanish police revealed that the MP, who is known for being a pro-Russia, was hit with five bullets. 🚨BREAKING: Former Ukrainian MP Andriy Portnov close to Russia shot dead near Madrid. He was the deputy head of Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych's administration & responsible for its legal affairs. — World Source News 24/7 (@Worldsource24) May 21, 2025 Early police reports suggested there were three shooters in the area when the shooting happened. Andriy Portnov served as an adviser to Yanukovych between 2011 and 2014, then, in 2022, he left through a border crossing in the Transcarpathian region outside the country. © 2000 - 2025 Al Bawaba (
Associated Press
21-05-2025
- Politics
- Associated Press
An adviser to Ukrainian ex-President Viktor Yanukovych has been shot dead in Spain
MADRID (AP) — Spanish authorities said that an adviser to former Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych was shot dead outside a school in Madrid on Wednesday. Spain's Interior Ministry identified the victim as Andrii Portnov. Authorities said that he was shot at 9:15 a.m. local time (0715 GMT). Portnov is a former Ukrainian politician closely tied to Yanukovych, having served as deputy head of the presidential office from 2010 to 2014. During Yanukovych's presidency, Portnov was widely viewed as a pro-Russia political figure and was involved in drafting legislation aimed at persecuting participants of the 2014 revolution in Ukraine.
