Ukrainian lawyer Andrii Portnov shot dead outside American School in Madrid

Ukrainian lawyer Andrii Portnov, a former adviser to ex-president Viktor Yanukovych, was killed early Wednesday morning in front of the entrance to the exclusive American School in the Madrid suburb of Pozuelo de Alarcón, where he had just dropped off his children, according to police sources cited by EL PAÍS. He was about to get into a Mercedes when two or three assailants approached and shot him five times, with at least three bullets hitting him in the head — fatally — and in the back. So far, no arrests have been made.

The killing occurred around 9:15 a.m., at which time, according to a spokeswoman for Spain’s National Police Headquarters, a call was received on the emergency line 091 reporting a person found in a public street with gunshot wounds. By then, the students — ranging from preschool to high school — had already entered their classrooms. Officers from the forensic police unit and the homicide squad (Group V) have been dispatched to the scene at number 3 América Street and have taken over the investigation. Officers from the Madrid Provincial Information Brigade joined them later, suggesting an investigation into the political dimensions of the crime.

Police sources have identified the victim as Ukrainian national Andrii Portnov, a former adviser to ex-president Viktor Yanukovych and a figure under investigation for corruption in his home country, where several criminal cases have been filed against him — many of which he has won in court. In 2018, Portnov — known for his pro-Russian ties — was investigated for his alleged involvement in the annexation of Crimea, and Ukraine’s Security Service opened a case against him for “treason,” which was later dismissed.

The victim was about to get into a Mercedes when he was ambushed by two or three attackers, who fired five shots at him before fleeing into a wooded area. Police have not disclosed the type of weapon used, as the investigation is still in its early stages. According to the media, Portnov had four children and had acquired Russian nationality in 2014.

According to Madrid’s emergency services (112), the 52-year-old was shot outside the American School. A spokesperson for the 112 service told this newspaper that between 9:10 and 9:15 a.m., a citizen called to report having found the man injured, lying unconscious on the ground. Upon arrival, emergency responders confirmed his death due to “injuries incompatible with life after receiving at least three gunshot wounds.”

“One shot, the fatal one, struck him in the head, near the neck, from behind and slightly to the side; the other two hit his body, in the abdomen and on his side,” the same source said.

Early in the morning, confusion spread through the school, which later issued a statement confirming that the victim was a parent at the institution. “ In the note, the school emphasized that all students were safe inside the building. “Right now, there’s a lot of upheaval, we’re in shock and trying to organize a response,” a staff member told this newspaper by phone shortly after the incident.

The employee confirmed that the shooting occurred outside the school but said she didn’t know whether the victim was a parent of a student or had any direct connection to the institution. “We don’t know anything; the police are the ones who can provide more information,” she concluded. She also clarified that the incident occurred “half an hour after” the school start time, which is 8:45 a.m., meaning that neither children nor parents witnessed anything.

Classes are continuing for now, but the school leadership is meeting to decide how to proceed. Some parents have arrived at the school to pick up their children, while forensic police officers are examining the scene near the black vehicle where the murder took place. Drones and a helicopter are also surveying the area in an effort to locate the perpetrators.

Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, several crimes involving high-profile Russian and Ukrainian individuals have occurred in Spain, which hosts a significant expatriate population from both countries. In November and December 2022, six letter bombs were sent to figures across Spain, including Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, the Ukrainian Embassy in Madrid, government offices, a European Union satellite company, and the U.S. Embassy. A 76-year-old retired Spanish civil servant, whose social media activity suggested pro-Russian sympathies, was imprisoned for the offenses.

In April 2022, a Russian businessman linked to Russian gas company Novatek was found dead in an apparent suicide, along with his wife and daughter, who had suffered stab wounds. In February 2024, a Russian pilot who had defected to Ukraine with his helicopter was found dead from multiple gunshot wounds in the parking lot of his apartment building near Alicante.

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