Andriy Portnov, a former Ukrainian lawmaker sanctioned by the United States and a senior aide to ex-President Viktor Yanukovych, was shot dead outside Madrid, a Spanish police source told Agence France-Presse on May 15.

The killing occurred in the affluent suburb of Pozuelo de Alarcón, where “several people” opened fire on Portnov shooting him in the chest and back and head as he was preparing to climb into a vehicle, outside of an upmarket American private school in Pozuelo de Alarcón, Spain, after dropping off his children. The assailants reportedly fled the scene on foot toward a nearby wooded area. A manhunt is underway.

In a message to parents seen by the Financial Times, the American School of Madrid said: “It was a fatal shooting. We believe the victim is an ASM father, but formal identification by police is pending.” The school added that the area was secure and “all students are safe on campus”.

Portnov left Ukraine after Yanukovych’s ousting, living for a while in Russia and Austria before returning to Ukraine in 2019 following the election of President Volodymyr Zelenskiy. His return was seen by critics as emblematic of lingering pro-Russian influence in Ukraine’s political and judicial systems.

However, in 2021 the US Department of the Treasury imposed sanctions on Portnov, accusing him of leveraging his positions to “buy access and decisions in the Ukrainian judiciary and law enforcement sectors, and to undermine reform efforts.”

In its indictment of him OFAC said that, “Portnov took steps to control the Ukrainian judiciary, influence associated legislation, sought to place loyal officials in senior judiciary positions, and purchase court decisions”, the FT reports. 

He was also investigated for treason for aiding Russia’s invasion of Russia and also on several counts of corruption. 

The sanctions included asset freezes and visa restrictions under the Global Magnitsky Act targeting corruption and human rights abuses.

According to local media reports, Portnov left Ukraine again in 2022, evading the wartime restrictions prohibiting men of military age from departing the country. He allegedly used political connections to bypass the ban following Russia’s full-scale invasion in February of that year.

Spanish authorities have launched an investigation into the shooting but have not disclosed a possible motive. No arrests have been made at the time of reporting.

Born on 27 October 1973 in Luhansk, Portnov began his political career with the All-Ukrainian Union "Fatherland" party, where he served as a member of parliament from 2006 to 2010. During this period, he was involved in legal reforms and was elected to the High Council of Justice of Ukraine in 2009.

Portnov entered into the service of Yanukovych's administration in April 2010 as Deputy Head of the Presidential Administration and Head of the Main Directorate for Judicial Reform. He was instrumental in drafting the 2012 Criminal Procedure Code of Ukraine, which he claimed introduced a "competitive model of criminal proceedings of the European type." However, human rights activists objected to the new code saying it undermined justice and allowed for political control of Ukraine's legal system.

Portnov was also associated with the controversial "dictatorship laws" passed on 16 January 2014, which significantly limited constitutional rights and were directed against the Euromaidan protests. Although he denied direct involvement, these laws were passed without proper parliamentary procedures, according to reports at the time.

Following the Euromaidan revolution in February 2014, Portnov fled Ukraine, citing threats to his life. He lived in Russia and later in Vienna, Austria, where he practiced law. During this time, he faced multiple legal challenges, including investigations into his alleged involvement in the mass killings during the 2014 protests and accusations of corruption. In 2015, the European Court of Justice ruled in his favour, stating that the EU's sanctions against him were based solely on a letter from the Ukrainian Prosecutor General's Office without sufficient evidence.

Portnov returned to Ukraine in May 2019. He became active in media, launching the "PortNOW" programme on the 112 Ukraine TV channel. He also filed multiple legal complaints against former President Petro Poroshenko. In 2019, he was involved in a controversy with journalists from Radio Liberty's "Schemes" programme, where he published personal data of journalists, leading to criminal investigations for alleged threats and obstruction of journalistic activities.