Andrii Portnov Obituary, Death: Ex-adviser to Ukraine’s Yanukovych fatally shot outside American School in Spain.

Andrii Portnov Obituary, Death – A former Ukrainian political figure who once served as an adviser to ousted President Viktor Yanukovych was shot and killed in Spain on Wednesday, in what appears to be a targeted attack. The incident took place outside the American School of Madrid, located in the affluent suburb of Pozuelo de Alarcón, just north of the city.

The victim was identified by Spain’s Interior Ministry as 51-year-old Andrii Portnov. Authorities reported that the shooting occurred at approximately 9:15 a.m. local time, shortly after Portnov had reportedly dropped his children off at the school. Witness accounts and police statements indicate that he was attacked while getting into his black Mercedes-Benz vehicle.

According to witnesses, more than one gunman approached Portnov and opened fire, striking him multiple times in both the head and body. The attackers fled the scene on foot before emergency services arrived. Paramedics found Portnov unresponsive, having sustained at least three gunshot wounds, and declared him dead at the scene.

Portnov had served as deputy head of Ukraine’s presidential administration during Yanukovych’s time in office from 2010 until 2014. He was widely regarded as a staunch pro-Russian figure and was closely associated with the government’s controversial measures during the 2014 Euromaidan protests, including helping draft laws aimed at suppressing demonstrators.

During that turbulent period, Portnov became a symbol of the Yanukovych administration’s crackdown on dissent, earning criticism both within Ukraine and abroad. Following the collapse of Yanukovych’s government, Portnov fled the country. Reports indicate he initially relocated to Russia in 2015 before moving to Austria. It remains unclear when he ultimately settled in Spain.

The killing has left the school community and nearby residents in shock. Police quickly secured the scene, closing off the parking area located roughly 500 feet from the entrance of the American School of Madrid. Students and parents alike were stunned by the violent incident, which occurred in a normally quiet, upscale neighborhood.

Luis Rayo, a 19-year-old who lives next to the school, recounted waking up to the sound of gunfire. “I heard five bullets and then came to see what happened,” he told reporters. Other members of the community, including students, were similarly shaken. Seventeen-year-old Timur Ayaokur said he was 20 minutes into his first class when the news broke. Initially, he thought the announcement of a shooting might be a drill. “I was worried because I thought it might be a parent of someone I know,” he said.

Timur’s mother, Elina Ayaokur, originally from Azerbaijan, revealed that she had met Portnov through the local Russian-speaking community, though she did not know him personally. She said she was unaware that a figure of Portnov’s political background was living among them. “I didn’t know there were Ukrainian politicians here,” she said, noting that Portnov’s son was a fourth-grade student at the school. “I was in shock, like how is it possible that this happens here?”

Authorities have not yet provided any official motive for the shooting. Given Portnov’s controversial past and political affiliations, speculation is mounting about whether the attack was politically motivated or related to his history of legal and international scrutiny.

Portnov’s legal troubles did not end when he left Ukraine. In 2018, Ukraine’s domestic intelligence service, the SBU, opened a treason investigation against him, accusing him of collaborating with Russia during its annexation of Crimea. Although the case was eventually closed in 2019, it contributed to his image as a divisive and suspect figure within Ukraine.

In 2021, the United States imposed sanctions on Portnov, accusing him of corruption. The sanctions targeted individuals considered complicit in the misuse of state assets, involvement in bribery, or exploiting government resources for personal gain. According to the U.S. Treasury Department, Portnov fell within that category, although he denied the allegations.

His assassination now places Spanish authorities under pressure to determine who was behind the killing and why. With multiple assailants involved and the attack taking place in a public space near a school, the case has raised concerns about safety and the possibility of international political tensions spilling into Spain.

Investigators are combing through surveillance footage and gathering witness statements as part of their effort to identify the suspects and understand the circumstances of the crime. No arrests have been reported as of yet, and police have not released a description of the shooters or confirmed if any weapons were recovered.

For now, the community surrounding the American School of Madrid is trying to process the shock of the violence. The school has not officially confirmed whether Portnov’s children were enrolled but acknowledged that students were informed of the incident shortly after it occurred. While the investigation continues, many are left grappling with the unsettling realization that a targeted killing occurred just steps from a place meant to be a safe haven for learning and growth.