Portnov allegedly in Ukraine days before being killed in Spain

Lawyer Andrii Portnov, an advisor to former Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych and known as a “shadow figure” influencing the Ukrainian judiciary, was allegedly in Ukraine just days before his assassination in Madrid, Spain, on May 21. During this time, he reportedly met with high-ranking officials responsible for law enforcement agencies.

According to information obtained by the Ukrainska Pravda daily from both Portnov’s close associates and sources within law enforcement, Andrii Portnov was in Ukraine on May 17-18.

Three of the newspaper’s sources indicated that during this visit, Portnov met with senior officials, particularly those overseeing the operations of law enforcement agencies.

Detailed information regarding the content of these meetings has not yet been disclosed.

Portnov, a former advisor to Yanukovych, was shot and killed in Madrid on May 21.

During Yanukovych’s presidency, Portnov served as the first deputy head of the Presidential Administration. He reportedly left Ukraine via Zakarpattia in July 2022.

Portnov had been on a US sanctions list since December 2021. Added to the list under the Magnitsky Act, Portnov was accused of involvement in “human rights violations” and “large-scale corruption.” The US specifically accused Portnov of influence peddling within Ukrainian courts.

The murder of Portnov at the entrance of the American School in Pozuelo de Alarcón, an exclusive area of Madrid, as he was taking his 10 and 12-year-old daughters to school, caused significant shock and distress among students, teachers, and local residents.

It remains unclear who committed the murder or their motives.