Politics

Ukrainian politician Andriy Portnov shot dead in Madrid

The shooting was described as a 'professional hit' with bullets fired after Portnov had fallen to the ground

Patrick HarringtonNatalia Penza

A UKRAINIAN politician has been shot dead in Madrid while taking his daughter to school.

Andriy Portnov, 51, was gunned down on Wednesday morning in Madrid where he was living, years after his pro-Russia party was thrown from power in Ukraine.

Andriy Portnov at a press conference.
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Ukrainian politician Andriy Portnov has been shot dead in MadridCredit: Shutterstock
Photo of Andriy Portnov.
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He was a former aide to the disgraced pro-Russian president, Viktor YanukovichCredit: Wikipedia
Viktor Yanukovich at a news conference.
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Former Ukrainian president Viktor Yanukovich, toppled from power in 2014Credit: Reuters
The former politician was assassinated outside the gates of the American School in the affluent Pozuelo neighbourhood, where he was dropping off his daughter, according to Radio station Cadena SER.

Police received the call about the shooting at 9.15 am local time.

Portnov was a senior aide to Ukraine's disgraced pro-Russian president, Viktor Yanukovich, who led the country from 2010 to 2014 before being furiously ousted.

He played a key role in the former president's election team before the 2010 victory - but fled Ukraine after 2014.

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The politicians was involved in enforcing "dictatorship laws" and has since been sanction by the US.

Portnov's body was still at the scene almost two hours after the shooting, and will be only be removed following authorisation from a judge.

He is understood to have been shot five times - with the gunman continuing to shoot while he was on the floor.

Witnesses have described the killing as a “professional hit” and said the killer waited for his target to drop his daughter off before striking.

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It was reported in July 2022 Portnov had left Ukraine despite a travel ban for military-age males.

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It was not immediately clear how long he had been living in Spain.

President Viktor Yanukovich, who also served as the country's prime minister several times, was ousted from power in 2014 following months of protests and the so-called Revolution of Dignity.

Since then, Yanukovich has lived in exile in Russia.

Spanish police have yet to confirm the name of the victim, though it has circulated widely in Spanish press.

A spokesman for the National Police in Madrid said this morning: “All we can confirm is that a man has been shot dead outside a school in Pozuelo de Alarcon.

“We received a call around 9.15am. There was nothing emergency responders could do to save the victim.

“An investigation has been launched and is ongoing."

Portnov fled Ukraine in February 2014 and lived in Russia, under sanction by the EU until 2015.

He then moved to Vienna, Austria where he practiced law.

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