Former Ukrainian politician Andriy Portnov was shot and killed near an American school in Pozuelo de Alarcón, Spain, on Wednesday. Portnov, who was a senior aide to former Russian-aligned Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych, suffered three gunshot wounds and died shortly after first responders arrived. He had been living in Spain after fleeing Ukraine following the 2014 democratic uprising.
Portnov was previously sanctioned by the U.S. in 2021 for corruption under the Magnitsky Act, accused of influencing judicial decisions in Ukraine. While Ukrainian officials had investigated his potential involvement in the annexation of Crimea, no charges were brought against him. His murder raises concerns given previous high-profile killings linked to Yanukovych’s regime.
The incident reflects ongoing tensions related to the Ukraine-Russia conflict, with Spain experiencing various related attacks, including a bombing at the Ukrainian Embassy in 2022. Authorities have since increased security around elite schools and the surrounding area. The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry has not commented on Portnov’s death.
Source link
