By Marcel Gascón
Kiev, May 21 (EFE).- Andriy Portnov, a former Ukrainian political figure assassinated on Wednesday in Pozuelo de Alarcón, near Madrid, held high-ranking positions under pro-Russian President Viktor Yanukovych. He was accused of helping suppress the pro-European Maidan protests and was sanctioned by the United States.
Portnov, 52, served as a key legal adviser in Yanukovych’s istration from 2010 to 2014.
Ukrainian media have linked him to drafting controversial laws ed on Jan. 16, 2014, aimed at curbing mass protests that erupted after Yanukovych refused to sign an association agreement with the European Union to avoid angering Russia.
More than 100 people died in clashes between protesters and security forces during the unrest.
On Feb. 20, 2014, as pressure mounted, Yanukovych, Portnov, and other officials fled Ukraine. Portnov later relocated to Vienna, according to several Ukrainian outlets.
He was among 18 Ukrainians sanctioned by the European Union in 2014 for alleged corruption and human rights violations.
However, a year later, a European court ordered his removal from the sanctions list.
In 2018, Ukraine’s Security Service launched a treason investigation against him, alleging his involvement in the Russian annexation of Crimea. The case was later dismissed after an appeal.
Legal wins and continued influence in Ukraine
Despite his exile, Portnov remained involved in Ukraine’s public life. In 2019, he returned to Ukraine briefly after five years abroad.
Earlier this year, Ukrainian news outlet Censor reported it was unable to pay court-ordered legal fees to Portnov due to a bank’s refusal to transfer funds to someone many Ukrainians view as a traitor. The case stemmed from Portnov suing the outlet over an inaccurate report.
Unlike many former Yanukovych officials, such as the ex-president himself, who has been convicted in absentia, Portnov retained some influence in Ukraine.
In 2021, the US imposed sanctions on him, citing credible allegations that he used his influence to corrupt the judiciary and obstruct reforms.
Some Ukrainian journalists suggested Portnov’s courtroom victories were due to the same judicial influence cited by US authorities.
In early 2024, Portnov reappeared in Ukrainian media after a citizen’s petition gathered over 25,000 signatures, demanding that Ukraine sanction him as the US had done.
Ties to Spain and lavish real estate
In Apr. 2024, Censor published one of the few reports on Portnov’s life in Spain before his death.
The report said that in January, he had visited a Madrid notary to certify a power of attorney allegedly used to transfer a luxury villa on the banks of the Dnipro River near Kyiv to his children.
The estate reportedly spanned over 1,000 square meters and included more than half a hectare of land.
Portnov’s murder in Spain is under investigation. EFE
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