Andriy Portnov, a controversial figure previously associated with pro-Russian politics, was attacked while dropping his children off at school.
Ukrainian Official Killed Outside Madrid School: Investigation Underway
Ukrainian Official Killed Outside Madrid School: Investigation Underway
A former Ukrainian government figure was fatally shot in Madrid, leading to a police investigation into the motive and suspects.
The Spanish capital of Madrid has been shaken by the shocking killing of a former high-ranking Ukrainian official, Andriy Portnov, who was shot dead outside an American school in the city. The incident occurred on Wednesday morning as parents and children were arriving at the school in the Pozuelo de Alarcón area. Reports indicate that Portnov, 51, had just dropped off his children when an unidentified attacker opened fire, hitting him multiple times in the back and head.
Witnesses reported seeing a thin man in a blue tracksuit flee into a wooded area nearby after the shooting. Spanish authorities quickly initiated a search operation with police drones and a helicopter, though no arrests have been made as of yet. It has been suggested that the shooter may have had at least one accomplice who was waiting nearby on a motorbike.
Portnov's political background adds further intrigue to the case. Once a member of parliament and deputy head under former President Viktor Yanukovych, he had left Ukraine after the 2014 revolution and returned briefly in 2019, only to leave again. Portnov gained notoriety as a "court fixer," and his connections prompted the European Union and the U.S. Treasury to impose sanctions against him, citing his efforts to manipulate the judiciary and the undermining of reform initiatives.
As investigators work to determine the motive behind the attack, the school confirmed in communications to parents that all students remained safe inside the premises at the time of the shooting. The attack has prompted comparisons to previous instances of targeted violence in Spain, including a similar incident in 2018 involving a drug trafficker.
Although speculation has arisen connecting Ukraine's intelligence services to various assassinations linked to Russian interests, the government in Kyiv is not presently implicated in this incident. The shooting adds to an uneasy backdrop of political tensions that have characterized relations between Ukraine and Russia, raising questions about the safety of high-profile figures in exile. The investigation continues as experts from both Ukraine and Spain examine potential motives and connections behind this tragic event.
Witnesses reported seeing a thin man in a blue tracksuit flee into a wooded area nearby after the shooting. Spanish authorities quickly initiated a search operation with police drones and a helicopter, though no arrests have been made as of yet. It has been suggested that the shooter may have had at least one accomplice who was waiting nearby on a motorbike.
Portnov's political background adds further intrigue to the case. Once a member of parliament and deputy head under former President Viktor Yanukovych, he had left Ukraine after the 2014 revolution and returned briefly in 2019, only to leave again. Portnov gained notoriety as a "court fixer," and his connections prompted the European Union and the U.S. Treasury to impose sanctions against him, citing his efforts to manipulate the judiciary and the undermining of reform initiatives.
As investigators work to determine the motive behind the attack, the school confirmed in communications to parents that all students remained safe inside the premises at the time of the shooting. The attack has prompted comparisons to previous instances of targeted violence in Spain, including a similar incident in 2018 involving a drug trafficker.
Although speculation has arisen connecting Ukraine's intelligence services to various assassinations linked to Russian interests, the government in Kyiv is not presently implicated in this incident. The shooting adds to an uneasy backdrop of political tensions that have characterized relations between Ukraine and Russia, raising questions about the safety of high-profile figures in exile. The investigation continues as experts from both Ukraine and Spain examine potential motives and connections behind this tragic event.
