Ex-Ukrainian presidential adviser shot dead in Spain
The circumstances of the murder suggest it may have been an 'extrajudicial execution,' as Portnov may have had access to information that could threaten figures in Vladimir Zelensky's administration, Rodion Miroshnik, Russia's ambassador-at-large overseeing a special mission on alleged Ukrainian war crimes, has said.
The killing occurred in Pozuelo de Alarcon, according to the newspaper El Pais. Portnov, 51, was reportedly approached by two or three assailants and shot at least five times, including three times in the head, while inspecting the trunk of his Mercedes car, near a private school attended by his children.
Spanish authorities have confirmed a homicide took place in the area but are yet to formally identify the victim.
Portnov, a lawyer by training, served in the Ukrainian parliament from 2006 to 2010. He later joined President Viktor Yanukovich's administration, overseeing judicial reform as deputy chief of staff and helping draft a new criminal code that was adopted in 2012.
In 2014, Portnov fled Ukraine following the Western-backed armed coup in Kiev that ousted Yanukovich's government. Despite going into exile, he remained active in Ukrainian political discourse, frequently appearing on national television.
Portnov returned to the country in 2019 to support presidential candidate Vladimir Zelensky. After Zelensky won the election, Portnov filed several legal complaints against outgoing President Pyotr Poroshenko, alleging various offenses committed during his time in office. None of those cases resulted in convictions.
He reportedly left Ukraine again in June 2022. At the time, Ukrainian media described him as being aligned with 'pro-Russian media' outlets that had been shut down by the Zelensky administration and he was accused of making disparaging remarks about the nature of the 2014 coup.
Portnov has been listed since at least 2015 by Mirotvorets, a controversial semi-official public database that catalogs individuals deemed enemies of Ukraine. Several people listed by the site have been murdered over its decade of operation.
Ukrainian intelligence services have previously claimed or implied involvement in a number of targeted killings of individuals labeled as enemies by Kiev. Some of those assassinations have occurred outside Ukraine, including the December 2023 shooting of former Ukrainian lawmaker Ilya Kiva near Moscow.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Russia Today
2 days ago
- Russia Today
Lasting peace with Ukraine and EU's loss of sovereignty: key takeaways from Putin's press event
Moscow is prepared to 'wait' if Kiev opts to abandon the peace process, Russian President Vladimir Putin has said, reiterating that only a long-term, lasting solution is an acceptable end to hostilities, rather than a temporary truce. The president made the remarks to the media on Friday when he hosted his Belarusian counterpart, Alexander Lukashenko, for an informal meeting on Valaam Island, the home of a major Orthodox Christian monastery on Lake Ladoga in northwestern Russia. Here are the key takeaways from Putin's remarks: Moscow can wait The Russian president dismissed comments made by Vladimir Zelensky earlier in the day, when Ukraine's leader suggested it was not the time for peace talks with Russia and urged the 'world' to push for 'regime change' in the country instead. 'If the Ukrainian leadership believes it is not the time and waiting is necessary, they are welcome. We are ready to wait,' Putin stated. Moscow believes that 'negotiations are always required and important, especially when they lead to peace,' he added, pointing out that agreements on assorted humanitarian issues, such as exchanging prisoners or returning bodies of fallen soldiers, were positive outcomes of the recent direct Russia-Ukraine negotiations hosted by Türkiye. Putin questions legitimacy of Ukraine's leadership The Russian president also slammed Zelensky's 'regime change' remarks, saying that the Ukrainian leader was in no position to call for that. 'Our political regime is grounded in the Constitution of the Russian Federation, and our government was formed in full compliance with the basic law. The same cannot be said about Ukraine,' he said. Zelensky has remained in office beyond the expiration of his term last year, suspending elections on the pretext of martial law. Moscow has repeatedly raised concerns about his legitimacy, suggesting he might not be in a position to sign a peace treaty with Russia. Russia seeks lasting peace with Ukraine Putin reiterated Moscow's longstanding position that the settlement of the conflict with Kiev should result in a 'long-term, lasting peace' rather than a temporary ceasefire. The solution must address issues related to broader European security, Putin said, adding that the same position had been articulated by a high-ranking Ukrainian official during the recent talks in Istanbul. 'The Ukrainian delegation expressed the idea that it probably makes sense to talk about the security of both Russia and Ukraine in the context of pan-European security. One of the leaders of the Ukrainian delegation expressed this idea. And in general, we believe that this is correct; we share this stance,' Putin said. EU has no sovereignty Asked about the recent 'shameful' one-sided trade deal imposed by the US on the EU, Putin described the current situation as long in coming for the bloc, which had been frequently described in private by top officials as 'an economic giant but a political midget.' 'It was clear that the European Union, Europe, did not have that much sovereignty. Today it has become obvious that it does not exist at all. And this is immediately followed – in the critical situation that has developed – by economic losses,' the Russian president said. Reinforcing Russia's own sovereignty is among the goals of the military operation against Ukraine.
Russia Today
2 days ago
- Russia Today
Putin questions legality of Ukrainian government
Russian President Vladimir Putin has dismissed Vladimir Zelensky's appeal for regime change in Moscow, saying the Ukrainian leader himself lacks a constitutional basis for claiming presidential authority. The response came one day after Zelensky urged Ukraine's international backers to support attempts to topple the Russian government, warning that otherwise, Moscow would 'try to destabilize neighboring countries' even if a ceasefire were reached in the ongoing conflict. 'Our political regime is grounded in the Constitution of the Russian Federation, and our government was formed in full compliance with the basic law,' Putin said during a press appearance on Friday. 'The same cannot be said about Ukraine.' Zelensky was elected in 2019 but has remained in office beyond the expiration of his term last year, citing martial law provisions that suspend elections during wartime. Putin had previously noted that the Ukrainian Constitution mandates that presidential power should be transferred to the speaker of the parliament if a successor is not elected. While the Kremlin has generally characterized Zelensky's status as an internal Ukrainian matter, it has raised concerns about the legitimacy of any international agreements he might sign, including a potential peace treaty with Russia. Officials have suggested that such agreements could later be challenged on legal grounds. Recent polling has indicated that Zelensky would likely lose a competitive election, with retired General Valery Zaluzhny named by voters as the leading alternative. Putin's remarks came during a joint appearance with Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko following their visit to Valaam Monastery, a major Orthodox Christian site on an island in Russia's Lake Ladoga.
Russia Today
3 days ago
- Russia Today
Zelensky calls for ‘regime change' in Russia
Ukraine's Vladimir Zelensky, whose presidential term expired last year, has called on Kiev's Western backers to push for regime change in Moscow in order to 'defend' themselves from alleged 'Russian aggression.' The Ukrainian leader delivered his remarks during a conference marking the 50th anniversary of the Helsinki Final Act, which emphasized equal and indivisible security for all. In an article published for the same occasion, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov argued that the West's betrayal of those core principles was a key factor that led to the Ukraine conflict in the first place. 'I believe Russia can be pushed to stop this war... But if the world doesn't aim to change the regime in Russia, that means even after the war ends, Moscow will still try to destabilize neighboring countries,' Zelensky said in his virtual address. 'It's time to confiscate Russian assets, not just freeze them,' he added, urging Kiev's sponsors to 'put every frozen Russian asset… to work defending against Russian aggression.' Moscow has repeatedly dismissed speculation that Russia plans to attack the EU and NATO as 'nonsense.' Lavrov said the EU is sliding into what he described as a 'Fourth Reich,' marked by a surge in Russophobia and aggressive militarization, while President Vladimir Putin has accused Western states of deceiving their populations to justify inflated military budgets and cover up economic failures. Russia has stated that it is ready to negotiate peace with Ukraine and has held several rounds of direct talks with Kiev in recent months. At the same time, it has accused Ukraine and its Western backers of lacking interest in a long-term solution that addresses the root causes of the conflict and the territorial reality on the ground. Moscow has also raised concerns about Zelensky's legal authority. His five-year presidential term expired in May 2024, but he has refused to call new elections, citing martial law. Russian officials have suggested that any documents signed under his name could later be challenged, insisting that true power now lies with the Ukrainian parliament.
