Former Ukrainian Presidential Aide Shot Dead in Madrid
A former aide to Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych has been shot dead in Madrid, Spain. Andriy Portnov, 51, was shot by unidentified gunmen outside the American School of Madrid in the Pozuelo area of the Spanish capital on Wednesday morning.
According to a source close to the investigation, several persons shot Mr Portnov in the back and the head before fleeing towards a forest area. Police received the report at 9.15am local time and rushed to Calle America, where Mr Portnov is believed to have been taking his children to school.
The Sky News reported that emergency service vehicles and a police cordon were pictured at the scene. Mr Portnov served as a senior aide to Ukraine’s former president Viktor Yanukovich before he was ousted in 2014.
The pro-Russian leader was driven out by Ukraine’s 2014 Orange Revolution – and has been living in exile in Russia ever since. After fleeing Ukraine in 2014, Mr Portnov is believed to have lived briefly in Russia before moving to Austria. It is not known when he moved to Spain.
Ukraine’s secret security service opened a state treason investigation into him in 2018 over claims he was involved in Russia’s illegal annexation of Crimea in 2014 – but closed it in 2019. He was sanctioned by the US in 2021, being designated as someone "responsible for or complicit in, or (who) has directly or indirectly engaged in, corruption, including the misappropriation of state assets, the expropriation of private assets for personal gain, corruption related to government contracts or the extraction of natural resources, or bribery".
The incident is the latest in a series of violent attacks against high-profile Russians and Ukrainians in Spain, which has large ex-pat populations from both countries. Since Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, crimes have been committed against several notable individuals.
In November and December 2022, six letter bombs were sent to targets across the country, to Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, the Ukrainian Embassy in Madrid, as well as its US counterpart. A 76-year-old retired Spanish civil servant was jailed over the offences after his social media searches suggested he was sympathetic towards Russia’s invasion.
In April 2022, a Russian businessman linked to the country’s Novatek gas company was found dead with his wife and daughter, having all sustained stab wounds. In February last year, a Russian pilot who defected to the Ukrainian side was found dead with gunshot wounds in the car park of his apartment near Alicante.
The Spanish authorities have cordoned off the area where Mr Portnov was shot, and forensic teams have been working at the scene to gather evidence. The police are investigating the incident and trying to identify the perpetrators.
The killing of Mr Portnov has raised concerns about the safety of high-profile individuals in Spain, particularly those with links to the conflict in Ukraine. As the investigation continues, the Spanish authorities are likely to face pressure to ensure that those responsible for the crime are brought to justice.
According to Sky News, an Interior Ministry source stated that "several persons shot him in the back and the head," and that they "fled towards a forest area". The Sky News article also reported that Mr Portnov was believed to have been taking his children to school when he was shot.
The incident has sparked an outpouring of concern from the international community, with many calling for calm and restraint. As the situation continues to unfold, one thing is clear: the killing of Andriy Portnov is a tragic reminder of the ongoing tensions and violence that continue to affect the region.
The Spanish government has announced that it will work closely with the Ukrainian authorities to investigate the killing and ensure that those responsible are held accountable. The incident has also raised questions about the security of Ukrainian exiles in Spain and the potential for further attacks.
As reported by Sky News, the US had sanctioned Mr Portnov in 2021, stating that he was "responsible for or complicit in, or (who) has directly or indirectly engaged in, corruption". The killing of Mr Portnov serves as a stark reminder of the complex and often deadly nature of international politics.
