Yanukovych's ex-adviser Andriy Portnov shot dead in Spain
Andriy Portnov, a former advisor to Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych, was found shot dead in Madrid, Spain, Reuters reports. The incident occurred around 9:15 AM local time as Portnov was dropping off his children at a school in the Pozuelo de Alarcon district. He was shot four times in the chest and once in the head, as reported by local outlet Cadena SER.
The report was also confirmed by the Spanish police.
Spanish authorities are currently investigating the incident, and no official information has been released yet.
The motives for the murder are still unknown, but El Pais reports that it could have been due to debt.
Who is Andriy Portnov?
Portnov served as an advisor to the first deputy head of the Presidential Administration under Viktor Yanukovych from 2011 to 2014. In 2014, he left Ukraine, lived in Russia for a period, and later moved to Vienna. Portnov advocated for the amnesty of Berkut riot police officers and the prosecution of Euromaidan participants.
In March 2014, the European Union imposed sanctions on 18 Ukrainian citizens, including Portnov, for alleged misappropriation of state funds and human rights violations. However, he was removed from the sanctions list in March 2015.
In March 2018, the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) opened a treason case against Portnov, leading him to file a lawsuit against the SBU. The case was later closed.
Portnov returned to Ukraine in May 2019 after a five-year absence. In December 2021, the United States imposed sanctions on Portnov.
Portnov also sued hromadske over its investigation into Russia’s annexation of Crimea, demanding that the material be removed. However, the Supreme Court ruled that hromadske need not remove the investigation while the case is pending in cassation.
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