Controversial ex-Ukrainian official shot dead in Madrid

Hind Al Soulia - Riyadh - KYIV — The fatal shooting of Andriy Portnov, a former top Ukrainian official, in a Madrid suburb has triggered a wave of speculation and little public sympathy in his home country, where he is widely viewed as a symbol of systemic corruption and Russian influence.

Portnov, 51, was gunned down in a parking lot after dropping off his children at the American School of Madrid. Spanish police found him lying face down in gym clothes.

While shocking, the killing has not sparked mourning in Ukraine, where media outlets and commentators have focused on his controversial legacy rather than the circumstances of his death.

Often referred to as the architect of a judicial system that critics say protected corruption and undermined reform, Portnov held powerful roles during the presidency of Viktor Yanukovych, who was ousted during Ukraine’s 2014 Maidan Revolution.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s administration has made no comment on the killing, while some security sources are reportedly distancing Kyiv from involvement.

Although Ukraine has carried out targeted killings in Russian-occupied territories and inside Russia, a politically motivated assassination in Spain would mark a significant escalation.

Spanish media have also speculated that the motive may have been personal or financial, rather than political.

Portnov’s critics describe him as a manipulative power broker with deep ties to pro-Kremlin factions.

After serving as legal adviser to former Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko, he switched sides in 2010 to join Yanukovych's administration, rising to become deputy head of the presidential office.

He was instrumental in shaping Ukraine’s legal framework during a time when Western governments, including the U.S., accused his office of manipulating court decisions and planting loyal judges.

Human rights monitors and journalists accuse him of using the courts to silence dissent. “When people exposed his corruption, he accused them of fake news,” said Oksana Romaniuk, director of the Institute of Mass Information.

Investigative reporters say he used threats and defamation lawsuits to target media outlets and individual journalists.

Following the fall of Yanukovych, Portnov moved to Moscow and was later found to have ties to Kremlin-backed media and intelligence-linked operations. In 2019, he briefly returned to Ukraine before fleeing again in 2022.

Despite being sanctioned by the U.S. for judicial interference and alleged corrupt activities, Portnov lived openly in Europe in recent years, even enrolling his children in one of Spain’s most prestigious private schools.

His presence in Spain and his death have raised questions about how he continued to move freely despite his notoriety.

While theories swirl over whether Russian intelligence, criminal networks, or private enemies were behind the killing, legal expert Mykhailo Zhernakov says Portnov’s death should not be mistaken for justice.

“Just because he's gone doesn't mean his influence has,” he said, warning that many of the officials Portnov once empowered remain entrenched in Ukraine’s legal system. — Agencies