Andriy Portnov: Shot Dead Outside School in Madrid – Who Was the Ukrainian Ex-Politician?

A former Ukrainian politician, Andriy Portnov, was killed by gunshots outside an American school in Madrid. The 52-year-old pro-Russian figure was shot at least five times near the entrance of a school in the Pozuelo de Alarcón neighborhood after dropping off his children. At least one unknown assailant fired multiple shots before fleeing into a nearby park, according to Spanish reports. Portnov had previously served as deputy head of Viktor Yanukovych’s presidential administration, the pro-Russian leader ousted in 2014 following months of protests. He was also a member of Yulia Tymoshenko’s party and later returned to Ukraine in 2019 when Volodymyr Zelenskyy became president. However, he left again in 2021 after being sanctioned by the U.S. Treasury for allegedly attempting to control the judicial system and undermine reforms. Investigations are ongoing, with authorities searching for the perpetrator, who is described as a thin man wearing blue athletic gear. Despite the presence of students entering the school during the attack, all were reported safe afterward. This incident follows similar cases, including the killing of a Colombian drug lord near a British school in 2018 and a Russian pilot assassinated in southern Spain in 2023. The motive behind Portnov’s murder remains unclear.