Portnov reportedly met controversial Zelensky staffer, Ukraine's investigations chief before being killed in Madrid
Portnov was shot dead by unidentified attackers outside the American School in Madrid on May 21. Spanish newspaper El Pais reported that two or three people are believed to be involved in the attack, though no arrests have been made so far, and the motive remains unclear.
Portnov served in the administration of pro-Kremlin President Viktor Yanukovych between 2010 and 2014. After the EuroMaidan Revolution, he lived alternately abroad and in Ukraine and was sanctioned by the U.S. in 2021 over allegations that he was involved in corruption.
Four sources confirmed to Ukrainska Pravda that Portnov was in Ukraine between May 17 and 18 and held meetings with senior officials overseeing Ukraine's law enforcement agencies, including Tatarov and Sukhachov.
The sources said they were unaware of the topics discussed.
Tatarov is the most controversial official in President Volodymyr Zelensky's administration. He was charged with bribery before joining the administration, but the corruption case against him was obstructed by law enforcement agencies and courts and eventually closed.
According to the media outlet's sources, Portnov has recently been seeking ways to have U.S. sanctions against him lifted. He also reportedly gathered information on the activities of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and civil society activists in Ukraine.
The Kyiv Independent submitted official requests for comment to the Presidential Office and the State Bureau of Investigation but did not receive an immediate response.
Portnov led the legal team of then-Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko from 2005 to 2010 and sat in the parliament between 2006 and 2010. After 2010, he became the head of Yanukovych's main judiciary department and deputy head of his administration.
The ex-official left Ukraine for Russia and later Austria after Yanukovych was ousted in the EuroMaidan Revolution in 2014, but returned to Ukraine in 2019. Portnov fled Ukraine again in 2022 after Russia's full-scale invasion broke out, even though the travel ban for military-age men was already in effect.
Read also: Hated, tainted, and covertly pro-Russian — Andriy Portnov, the top Ukrainian ex-official shot dead in Spain
We've been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Fox News
a minute ago
- Fox News
Hunter Biden says he's started new job with California nonprofit
Hunter Biden revealed he started a new job working with a nonprofit homeless prevention and tenants' rights group in southern Los Angeles. The former president's son made the announcement during an interview with "Channel 5" podcaster Andrew Callaghan, which was posted to YouTube on Tuesday. "I just think there is such an opportunity to be of service right now – and not in, you know, some kind of melodramatic way – but I just, a lot of people that are, you know, getting the s--- beat out of them out there, right here in LA. And there is enormous opportunity for just normal people to do kind of heroic things," Biden said. "I'm working with a group now called BASTA, the homeless prevention, and I just started actually as director of development for BASTA, which is the leading homeless prevention and tenants' rights group in southern Los Angeles," Biden added. Biden told Callaghan that the organization protects people "from eviction, and we are the only group – at least in southern California – that represents undocumented and so we don't take any federal money." "It's not just El Salvadorean immigrants, it's Ukrainian immigrants that came here under duress from what is going on in Ukraine and find it really hard to find work because of the fear of employers. that they are going to disrupt their business because of ICE raids and things like that," the president's son also said. "Then they lose their income, and almost all of these people are families and children. And if you can keep someone in their apartment or their home you obviously also [are] keeping somebody off the street and homelessness. And what you find is that when a child becomes homeless, the road back to any chance of normalcy just becomes exponentially harder and harder." BASTA, on its website, said it was founded in 2005 and has now become the "most comprehensive tenant rights organization in Southern California." "We have more than 15 attorneys and 10 staff across four full-service offices, serving virtually every need of the tenant community (legal or otherwise)," the nonprofit said. "BASTA pioneered the strategy of bringing all eviction defense cases to jury trial, which is a right under California's constitution. Rather than having cases decided by a single judge, cases are decided by members of the community — including many tenants. The strategy works. BASTA has won more jury trials in eviction cases than all of the other organizations in Southern California combined," the organization added. Fox News Digital has reached out to BASTA for comment.
The Hill
30 minutes ago
- The Hill
India slams Trump's threat of tariffs over Russian oil purchases
India fired back at the United States after President Trump pledged to increase tariffs on New Delhi over the country's purchase of Russian oil. In a statement Monday, India's Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said the purchase of Russian oil is a 'necessity' to 'ensure predictable and affordable energy costs' and was once 'encouraged' by the U.S. 'for strengthening global energy markets stability.' The MEA spokesperson further suggested the West is being hypocritical, pointing to trade that the European Union and the United States has continued to do since the war between Russia and Ukraine began. 'In this background, the targeting of India is unjustified and unreasonable,' the spokesperson said in the statement. 'Like any major economy, India will take all necessary measures to safeguard its national interests and economic security,' it added. The pushback from India comes after Trump said on Monday he would raise tariffs on India for buying and selling oil from Moscow, arguing the country doesn't care about the Ukrainian casualties suffered at the hands of 'the Russian War Machine.' Trump did not specify the new tariff rate but said it would increase from the 25-percent tariff that the U.S. president said he would impose last month. 'India is not only buying massive amounts of Russian Oil, they are then, for much of the Oil purchased, selling it on the Open Market for big profits,' Trump said on Truth Social. 'They don't care how many people in Ukraine are being killed by the Russian War Machine. Because of this, I will be substantially raising the Tariff paid by India to the USA.' Trump previously vowed to hit India with a penalty for buying military equipment and energy from Russia amid the war in Ukraine. China is also a major importer of Russian oil, but has not faced the same threats from Trump. Trump in recent weeks has grown increasingly frustrated with Russian President Vladimir Putin and shortened the timeline for him to agree to a ceasefire in Ukraine to Aug. 8, at which point Trump has said he will impose 'secondary tariffs' of up to 100 percent on Russia's trading partners in a bid to isolate Moscow economically. India said it would continue buying oil from Moscow on Saturday. The Indian foreign ministry called the relationship with Russia 'steady and time-tested' and said its stance on security energy is guided by the availability of oil in the markets.
Bloomberg
31 minutes ago
- Bloomberg
Russia Weighs Ukraine Air-Truce Offer to Trump Without Ending War
The Kremlin is weighing options for a concession to US President Donald Trump that could include an air truce with Ukraine to try to head off the threat of secondary sanctions, even as Russia remains determined to continue its war. Officials recognize that US envoy Steve Witkoff's visit to Russia this week offers a late opportunity for agreement with Trump even if expectations for success are low, people familiar with the situation said, asking not to be identified discussing sensitive matters. A pause on air strikes involving drones and missiles as a deescalation gesture may be one potential proposal provided that Ukraine also signed up, one of them said.
