Andriy Portnov, previously a senior aide to former Ukrainian president, Viktor Yanukovich, was gunned down outside a school in Madrid, raising concerns about politically motivated violence in Spain.
Unidentified gunmen shot and killed Andriy Portnov, a former Ukrainian politician, outside the American School of Madrid in the affluent suburb of Pozuelo de Alarcón on Wednesday, Spain’s Interior Ministry confirmed.
Portnov, 51, once served as a senior aide to former Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovich and fled to Russia in 2014 following a popular uprising. He was under investigation in Ukraine for alleged treason and embezzlement, and was sanctioned by both the European Union and the United States, though EU measures were later lifted. The U.S. Treasury sanctioned him in 2021, citing ties to Ukraine's judicial system built through corruption.
According to police, Portnov was shot multiple times - in the back and head - by several attackers who then fled into a nearby wooded area. Emergency services found him dead at the scene near a black Mercedes-Benz, with police cordoning off the area. The attack occurred around 9:15 a.m. local time, as students and parents were arriving at the school.
Sources at the American School told Reuters that the victim is believed to have been the parent of a student, although official identification is still pending. Authorities interviewed several parents who reportedly witnessed the shooting. The school has not released a public statement.
Portnov’s killing adds to a recent string of high-profile incidents involving Russian and Ukrainian nationals in Spain. In early 2024, a Russian pilot who had defected to Ukraine was shot dead near Alicante. In 2022, a Spanish man sent letter bombs to political and diplomatic targets, including the Ukrainian embassy.
Spanish authorities have launched a full investigation into Portnov’s death, but have not yet confirmed a motive or suspects.
Iran said on Sunday (10 May) that it had sent its response to a U.S. proposal aimed at launching peace talks to end the war, as signs of tentative ...
Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico has cited Azerbaijan as an example of what he described as a sovereign foreign policy, recalling rem...
China’s exports grew faster than expected in April, as overseas buyers moved quickly to secure supplies a...
President Donald Trump called Iran’s response to a US war proposal “totally unacceptable” after Tehran sent its reply through med...
Russia is holding a significantly scaled-back Victory Day parade in Moscow on 9 May 2026, reflecting heightened security concerns and the ongoing w...
Iran said on Sunday (10 May) that it had sent its response to a U.S. proposal aimed at launching peace talks to end the war, as signs of tentative movement emerged around the Strait of Hormuz despite renewed security incidents across the Gulf.
Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico has cited Azerbaijan as an example of what he described as a sovereign foreign policy, recalling remarks made by President Ilham Aliyev during talks in Yerevan, where he sharply criticised resolutions adopted against his country by the European Parliament.
Russia is holding a significantly scaled-back Victory Day parade in Moscow on 9 May 2026, reflecting heightened security concerns and the ongoing war in Ukraine, now in its fourth year.
Centre-right leader Péter Magyar was sworn in as Hungary’s prime minister on Saturday, propelled into office on promises of change after years of economic stagnation and strained ties with key allies under his predecessor Viktor Orbán.
Efforts to end the U.S.-Iran war appeared to stall as the two sides exchanged fire in and around the Strait of Hormuz. A reported CIA assessment suggested Tehran could withstand a U.S. naval blockade for months despite mounting sanctions and renewed Gulf attacks.
British paratroopers and military medics have been deployed to Tristan da Cunha after a suspected hantavirus case was confirmed, as first evacuation flights carrying passengers from the stricken MV Hondius cruise ship left Tenerife for Madrid and Paris.
Russia is holding a significantly scaled-back Victory Day parade in Moscow on 9 May 2026, reflecting heightened security concerns and the ongoing war in Ukraine, now in its fourth year.
Indonesian rescue teams have located two Singaporeans who went missing after Mount Dukono erupted on Friday (8 May) on the island of Halmahera, though authorities say it remains unclear whether they are alive.
The U.S. Defense Department has released dozens of previously classified files on unidentified anomalous phenomena (UAP) on Friday (8 May), following an order from President Donald Trump. U.S. officials described as a push for “unprecedented transparency”.
China’s leading chipmakers are funnelling unprecedented sums into research and development as Beijing accelerates efforts to reduce reliance on foreign technology amid intensifying U.S. export restrictions.
Centre-right leader Péter Magyar was sworn in as Hungary’s prime minister on Saturday, propelled into office on promises of change after years of economic stagnation and strained ties with key allies under his predecessor Viktor Orbán.
The United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD) has warned that France risks undermining the self-determination rights of the Kanak Indigenous People in New Caledonia amid proposed political and constitutional reforms.
Somalia is facing a severe malnutrition crisis and urgently needs additional humanitarian funding to prevent conditions deteriorating further, the World Food Programme has warned.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer vowed to carry on as leader on Friday (8 May) after his ruling Labour Party suffered heavy losses in local elections. Labour lost hundreds of councillors across the country, as some figures in the party said he should stand down.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment