Details have been released about the suspect in Portnov's murder
In the German city of Heinsberg, law enforcement officials arrested 45-year-old Ukrainian Oleksandr A., who is suspected of the high-profile murder of Andriy Portnov, the former deputy head of Yanukovych’s administration.
The suspect is currently being held in custody in Cologne and is awaiting extradition to Spain, where the crime was committed.
During a search of the suspect’s residence, police discovered not only a cannabis plantation but also a firearm. Investigators suspect that this weapon may have been the murder weapon used during the attack in the Spanish capital.
Journalists from Die Zeit, after analyzing the detainee’s background, speculated that he may have acted as a “one-time agent.”
This is a category of petty criminals whom foreign intelligence services recruit to carry out specific high-risk assignments without granting them official status.
According to acquaintances, Alexander led a deliberately ordinary life in Germany and avoided political discussions.
He spent his mornings at the gym boxing, and after lunch attended a language school, planning to get a job at a security firm.
“In the morning, he trained and boxed at a fitness club, and after lunch, he attended language school,” journalists describe the suspect’s daily routine.
Despite having been in the country since 2022, the man never established close social ties.
Investigative authorities in Germany and Ukraine are currently examining Alexander’s possible ties to criminal circles in Russia.
The arrest of a “one-time agent” is not an isolated case in Germany, where such covert operations have intensified in recent years.
As a reminder, the suspect in Portnov’s murder refused assistance from the Ukrainian consulate.
We also previously reported that Andriy Portnov, who was killed in Spain, had transferred ownership of a luxury mansion to his children a few months before his death.
Lawyer Andriy Portnov was in Ukraine a few days before his murder in Madrid. There, he met with top officials responsible for law enforcement.
