Andriy Portnov, a 51-year-old former deputy head under pro-Russian President Viktor Yanukovych, was ambushed after dropping off his children at school.
Ukrainian Ex-Official Murdered Outside Madrid School in Shocking Incident
Ukrainian Ex-Official Murdered Outside Madrid School in Shocking Incident
A former prominent Ukrainian politician has been fatally shot outside an American school in Spain, raising concerns about safety and possible political motives.
A shocking incident occurred in Madrid when Andriy Portnov, a former top official in Ukraine, was shot dead outside an American school as children arrived for classes. Reports indicate that the 51-year-old had just dropped off his kids at the institution located in the Pozuelo de Alarcón area. Eyewitness accounts detail at least one gunman, who fired multiple shots at Portnov before escaping into a nearby wooded park area.
Portnov's political history is notable; he served as an MP and held a prominent position in Yanukovych's administration—a government toppled amid public protests in 2014. After leaving Ukraine during the revolution, Portnov returned briefly in 2019 following President Volodymyr Zelensky's election but left again and was later imposed with sanctions by the US Treasury for corruption-related activities. The EU also sanctioned him, but he successfully challenged those sanctions in a court.
The shooting occurred around 09:15 local time, as children were entering the school, leading to fears for their safety. Authorities have launched a comprehensive search operation in the area, deploying drones and a helicopter. They are on the lookout for the assailant described as a thin man dressed in a blue tracksuit, with reports indicating he possibly had an accomplice on a motorbike.
The motive behind Portnov's assassination remains unclear, and authorities have yet to identify those responsible. Emergency services confirmed the victim sustained multiple bullet wounds to his back and head. The scene was cordoned off for investigation, and the school's administration assured parents of the students' safety.
This incident echoes a previous attack in 2018 involving a Colombian drug trafficker, highlighting a troubling trend of targeted violence in the city. While Ukraine's intelligence agencies have been implicated in several international incidents, connections between Portnov's murder and Russian operatives have been speculated, reminiscent of a shooting in Alicante last year involving a Russian defector to Ukraine.
As the investigation unfolds, the implications of this high-profile assassination are being closely monitored both in Spain and internationally.
Portnov's political history is notable; he served as an MP and held a prominent position in Yanukovych's administration—a government toppled amid public protests in 2014. After leaving Ukraine during the revolution, Portnov returned briefly in 2019 following President Volodymyr Zelensky's election but left again and was later imposed with sanctions by the US Treasury for corruption-related activities. The EU also sanctioned him, but he successfully challenged those sanctions in a court.
The shooting occurred around 09:15 local time, as children were entering the school, leading to fears for their safety. Authorities have launched a comprehensive search operation in the area, deploying drones and a helicopter. They are on the lookout for the assailant described as a thin man dressed in a blue tracksuit, with reports indicating he possibly had an accomplice on a motorbike.
The motive behind Portnov's assassination remains unclear, and authorities have yet to identify those responsible. Emergency services confirmed the victim sustained multiple bullet wounds to his back and head. The scene was cordoned off for investigation, and the school's administration assured parents of the students' safety.
This incident echoes a previous attack in 2018 involving a Colombian drug trafficker, highlighting a troubling trend of targeted violence in the city. While Ukraine's intelligence agencies have been implicated in several international incidents, connections between Portnov's murder and Russian operatives have been speculated, reminiscent of a shooting in Alicante last year involving a Russian defector to Ukraine.
As the investigation unfolds, the implications of this high-profile assassination are being closely monitored both in Spain and internationally.
