Who was Andriy Portnov? Exiled pro-Russia Ukrainian politician gunned down in Madrid

A former Ukrainian politician, Andriy Portnov, was shot dead on Wednesday (May 21) morning outside the American School of Madrid in Pozuelo de Alarcón, one of the city's wealthiest suburbs.

According to Spain’s interior ministry, unidentified gunmen opened fire as Portnov was getting into his black Mercedes-Benz. He had reportedly just dropped his children off at the private school, where classes had already begun. The attackers fired multiple shots, hitting him in the back and head, before fleeing into nearby woodland.

Paramedics arrived shortly after but declared Portnov dead at the scene. Emergency services said he had suffered at least three gunshot wounds.

High alert at elite school

The incident prompted a major police response. Authorities sealed off the school car park, and helicopters and drones were deployed to track down the attackers. So far, no arrests have been made, and the gunmen remain at large.

Local media noted that this is the second high-profile shooting in Madrid in two years, raising fresh concerns over targeted attacks linked to foreign political disputes.

Who was Andriy Portnov?

Portnov, 52, had once served as a top aide to Ukraine’s former pro-Russian president Viktor Yanukovych. He played a major role in shaping laws that cracked down on protesters during Ukraine’s 2014 revolution, which ultimately led to Yanukovych’s ousting.

Shortly after the revolution, Portnov fled Ukraine. By 2015, he was believed to be living in Russia and later moved to Austria. Reports suggest he had been residing in Madrid since at least April 2024.

Portnov had faced multiple criminal investigations in Ukraine. In 2018, the country’s security agency, SBU, launched a treason case against him, accusing him of helping Russia during the annexation of Crimea. That case was later dropped in 2019.

Sanctions and accusations

In 2021, the US Treasury sanctioned Portnov, accusing him of trying to control Ukraine’s judicial system, influence legislation, and install loyalists in top legal roles. Although the European Union had earlier imposed sanctions, they were later lifted.

Portnov remained a controversial figure with ongoing ties to Russia and was widely viewed as a key player in pro-Russian politics in Ukraine before his exile.

Spain has seen a number of violent incidents involving Russians and Ukrainians since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

In 2022, a wave of letter bomb attacks targeted high-profile locations including the Ukrainian embassy and the Spanish prime minister’s office. A retired civil servant who opposed Western support for Ukraine was later convicted.

Earlier in 2024, a Russian helicopter pilot who defected to Ukraine in a secret operation was found shot dead near Alicante.

Last year, Spanish politician Alejo Vidal-Quadras survived a shooting in another upscale Madrid area. Five suspects were arrested, but the main gunman, a French-Tunisian national, remains missing.

Police are now investigating whether Portnov’s killing is linked to similar political tensions or international actors.