Ex-Ukrainian presidential adviser shot dead in Spain – what we know so far
Authorities have confirmed that an investigation into the shooting death of a man is underway in Pozuelo de Alarcon, but have yet to formally confirm the victim's identity.
A senior Russian diplomat has suggested that the murder resembles an 'extrajudicial execution,' possibly meant to silence the mercurial political operative.
Murder investigation
According to Spanish media, Portnov was killed by multiple gunshot wounds next to his Mercedes after dropping his children off at the prestigious American School in Alarcon. There are conflicting accounts of the killing.
El Mundo cites a police source as saying that a single shooter – a thin, tall man – shot Portnov five times, with the last bullet aimed at his head, before fleeing the scene. However, sources cited by El Pais said there were two or three assailants who struck while the victim was distracted inspecting the trunk of his car. The report said at least three shots hit him in the head, one of them fatal.
According to the outlet '20minutos', investigators are considering 'score-settling related to organized crime' as a motive for the attack. A link to the Russia-Ukraine conflict has also not been ruled out, the newspaper said.
No arrests in the case have yet been reported.
Who was Portnov
Western media reports on Portnov's killing note that the current Ukrainian government had in the past accused the deceased of being 'pro-Russian,' while the US and the EU have targeted him with sanctions.
Born in 1973 in what is now the Russian city of Lugansk, Portnov was a lawyer by education who worked in the private sector before serving as an official in a state commission on securities.
From 2006 to 2010, he served as an MP from the political party of Yulia Tymoshenko and helped coordinate efforts against then President Viktor Yushchenko. 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.
Maidan coup
During the 2014 Western-backed Maidan coup, Portnov was accused of being the architect of so-called 'draconian laws' – a set of measures meant to curb street violence that the rioters claimed was a major attack on democracy. The post-Maidan authorities in Kiev later adopted similar measures after seizing power.
After the coup, like many other Yanukovich-era officials, Portnov fled Ukraine, traveling to Russia and then Austria. Nevertheless, he remained involved in Ukrainian politics. He became a frequent guest on some TV channels where he vehemently spoke out against the administration of then President Pyotr Poroshenko. He also successfully litigated against the Ukrainian government, disproving state claims that he had committed crimes under Yanukovich.
Zelensky backer turned target
In 2019, Portnov supported Vladimir Zelensky's candidacy in that year's presidential election and returned to Ukraine after his victory. He then proceeded to file multiple complaints against the unseated Poroshenko, alleging misconduct in office.
His success in the courts later caught the attention of Washington, which raised concerns over Portnov's influence in the Ukrainian judicial system. In 2021, the US imposed personal sanctions on the lawyer, accusing him of corruption.
In 2022, amid Zelensky's crackdown on political opposition, Ukrainian media accused Portnov of secretly co-owning elite apartments in Moscow with associates of Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. He reportedly fled Ukraine again in July 2022.
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