Overview

• Andriy Portnov, 51, was shot multiple times, including fatal wounds to the head and back, outside the American School of Madrid on May 21, 2025.
• The attackers fled the scene into a wooded area, prompting Spanish police to launch a manhunt and deploy forensic and homicide units to investigate.
• Portnov, a close aide to ousted pro-Russian Ukrainian president Viktor Yanukovych, faced multiple allegations of corruption and treason before being sanctioned by the US in 2021.
• The killing is being investigated as a potential revenge hit, reflecting broader security risks for exiled political figures tied to Russia-Ukraine conflict.
• Spain has seen a series of violent incidents targeting Russian and Ukrainian figures since the 2022 invasion of Ukraine, underlining geopolitical tensions spilling into Europe.