A former high-ranking Ukrainian official was shot dead outside a school in Madrid, Spain. The victim, 51-year-old Andriy Portnov, was dropping off his kids when at least one gunman opened fire around 9:15 am local time.
Portnov was a key figure in the pro-Russian government of former President Viktor Yanukovych, who was ousted in 2014. He also served as an MP in the party of prominent Ukrainian politician Yulia Tymoshenko.
After the revolution, Portnov left Ukraine but returned in 2019 after Volodymyr Zelenskyi became president. However, he left again and was sanctioned by the US Treasury Department in 2021 for allegedly meddling in Ukraine’s courts to undermine reform efforts. The EU had also imposed sanctions on him, but he won a court battle to have them lifted.
The motive behind the killing is still unclear. Police are searching for the suspect, described as a slim man wearing a blue tracksuit. Local media reports suggest there may have been an accomplice who helped the gunman escape on a motorcycle.
This is not the first time a similar incident has occurred in the area. In 2018, a Colombian drug smuggler was shot dead outside a nearby school. However, the circumstances of the latest killing are still shrouded in mystery. Emergency responders confirmed that Portnov suffered multiple gunshot wounds to the head and back.
Source: BBC