Ex-Ukraine official Andriy Portnov shot dead

DDM News

A former Ukrainian political heavyweight, Andriy Portnov, was fatally shot in broad daylight near a school in Spain’s capital.

The tragic incident occurred Wednesday morning as children were arriving at the American School in Pozuelo de Alarcón, Madrid.

Diaspora Digital Media (DDM) confirmed that the victim, 51-year-old Portnov, had just dropped off his children at the school moments before the shooting.

Spanish police reports say at least one assailant opened fire, striking Portnov multiple times in the back and head before fleeing into a nearby park.

Authorities quickly launched an extensive manhunt using drones and a helicopter, combing the wooded area for the gunman.

Eyewitnesses described the attacker as a slim man in a blue tracksuit, with some suggesting he was aided by an accomplice on a motorcycle.

Emergency responders were unable to save Portnov, who was pronounced dead at the scene, as shocked students and parents were ushered to safety.

The school immediately sent communication to reassure parents that all students inside the building remained unharmed.

Portnov, once a high-ranking figure in Ukrainian politics, served under former pro-Russian president Viktor Yanukovych.

He held the position of deputy head of Yanukovych’s administration before the 2014 revolution that ousted the government.

Before his alignment with Yanukovych, Portnov had also served in the political camp of former Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko.

Following the 2014 uprising, he left Ukraine, only to return in 2019 during President Volodymyr Zelensky’s tenure.

He later left Ukraine again and was sanctioned in 2021 by the U.S. Treasury for alleged judicial interference and corruption.

The U.S. accused him of manipulating the courts to block reforms and referred to him as a “widely known court fixer.”

Portnov was also placed on the European Union’s sanctions list, but he later won a legal challenge against the EU decision.

While speculation swirls over the motive, officials have yet to confirm who is responsible for the shooting or why Portnov was targeted.

Some Spanish media outlets have drawn parallels with a 2018 assassination of a Colombian drug trafficker near a British Council school.

That incident also featured a daylight shooting and raised concerns about targeted killings on Spanish soil.

Recent history suggests potential geopolitical undercurrents, as Ukraine’s intelligence network has been linked to covert operations beyond its borders.

Notably, in February 2024, a Russian helicopter pilot who defected to Ukraine was killed near Alicante, reportedly by Russian agents.

The pilot, Maxim Kuzminov, had relocated to Spain under an assumed identity after refusing to return to Russia.

Ukrainian officials had offered Kuzminov protection within Ukraine, but he opted for anonymity abroad.

The Portnov killing, however, has not yet been linked to any known international operation or political vendetta.

Spanish investigators continue to gather CCTV footage and interview witnesses to determine the exact sequence of events.

Law enforcement has not ruled out contract killing or political motives but say all lines of inquiry remain open.

The black Mercedes that Portnov drove remains under police guard, with forensic experts examining the vehicle and crime scene.

For many in Ukraine and abroad, Portnov remained a controversial figure, viewed by some as a symbol of the old, corrupt guard.

His role in Ukraine’s political upheaval and subsequent sanctions left him politically isolated and legally embattled.

This latest development further complicates an already volatile geopolitical climate involving Ukraine, Russia, and their diaspora networks.

Diaspora Digital Media (DDM) continues to monitor the situation and will provide updates as investigations unfold in Madrid.

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