Investigations into the murder of Andriy Portnov have made progress in Spain and Germany
Exactly one year has passed since the death of Andriy Portnov, the controversial pro-Russian politician and former deputy head of the Presidential Administration during the Yanukovych era.
Currently, Spanish investigators, working with their European colleagues, have made significant progress in the case, arresting the main suspect in Germany and establishing his ties to the Russian Federation.
Official Madrid, which had previously refused to cooperate, agreed in March 2026 to establish a joint international investigative team with Ukraine to identify those who ordered the crime.
The attack on 51-year-old Andriy Portnov took place around 9:15 a.m. near the American School, where the politician had dropped off his daughters. The assailants professionally exploited the former official’s lack of permanent security.
The hitman acted with precision and fired nine shots at Portnov as he was getting into his car, with the final shot to the head.
After the attack, the shooter and his two accomplices fled in a car and disappeared into the Casa de Campo park area, while the wounded man died at the scene before medical personnel arrived.
In February 2026, Spanish police, in cooperation with the German Federal Criminal Police Office, arrested the main suspect—a 45-year-old Ukrainian named Oleksandr—in the city of Heinsberg.
A cannabis plantation and a weapon believed to be the murder weapon were found in his residence. The suspect refused assistance from the Ukrainian consulate and is currently in custody in Cologne, awaiting extradition to Spain.
Investigative journalists have determined that Oleksandr and Veli Azizov, brothers born in the Donetsk region, are suspected of the murder.
The investigation has established a clear Russian connection, as in 2023–2024 both suspects obtained Russian passports in the Rostov region and in the occupied territory.
Neither the suspects themselves nor their legal representatives have yet commented on the official charges.
From the very beginning, Spanish police have been considering two key theories: a political motive due to Portnov’s long-standing pro-Russian activities, and a criminal settling of scores over financial debts.
A few days before his death, the politician secretly visited Ukraine, where he met with Oleg Tatarov, deputy head of the Office of the President, and Oleksiy Sukhachov, head of the State Bureau of Investigation.
Immediately before his death, Portnov also managed to transfer ownership of his luxury estate in Kozin, valued at 19 million hryvnia, to his minor children.
The Anti-Corruption Center won its case against Portnov in the Supreme Court
A Ukrainian man was detained in Germany on suspicion of murdering Andriy Portnov in Madrid
