Former Ukrainian Official Gunned Down in Madrid

Former Yanukovich Aide Assassinated in Madrid A former senior aide to Ukraine's ex-president Viktor Yanukovich, identified as Mr. Portnov, was fatally shot in Madrid, Spain, on May 22, 2025. The incident occurred while he was reportedly dropping his children off at school in the Spanish capital. Spanish authorities are investigating the killing and searching for the unidentified gunman, who fled the scene after shooting Portnov in the back and head. Mr. Portnov, who had fled Ukraine in 2014 following the ousting of President Yanukovich, had previously lived in Russia and Austria before settling in Spain. The incident has raised questions about the ongoing geopolitical tensions and potential lingering conflicts from the past. Ukraine's secret security service had previously opened a state treason investigation into Portnov in 2018 before closing it in 2019. The investigation's details remain undisclosed. The assassination underscores the complexities of the ongoing geopolitical landscape and the potential for violence to extend beyond national borders.