German and Spanish police have arrested a man in Heinsberg, North Rhine-Westphalia, suspected of shooting Andriy Portnov, the former deputy head of President Viktor Yanukovych's administration. The brutal murder occurred in May 2025 in Pozuelo de Alarcón near Madrid, shortly after the politician dropped his children off at school. According to investigators, the arrested man is believed to be the direct perpetrator of the attack, in which at least nine shots were fired.

Arrest in Heinsberg

German police, in cooperation with Spain's National Police, apprehended the alleged killer of the Ukrainian politician in Heinsberg, North Rhine-Westphalia.

Details of the 2025 Assassination

Portnov was shot dead outside his children's school in Madrid; the perpetrator fired nine shots, five of which were accurate, including hits to the head.

Extradition to Spain

Extradition proceedings to the Spanish justice system have been initiated against the suspect based on a European Arrest Warrant.

Controversy Surrounding the Victim

The murder victim, Andriy Portnov, was under US sanctions and accused in Ukraine of treason and corruption.

German and Spanish authorities have achieved a significant breakthrough in the investigation into the high-profile murder of Andriy Portnov, a former influential Ukrainian politician and lawyer. The arrest took place in the town of Heinsberg, located in North Rhine-Westphalia, close to the border with the Netherlands. The operation was carried out by officers from the Madrid homicide unit in close cooperation with the BKA. The suspect, who according to Spanish media is also a Ukrainian citizen, was apprehended based on a European Arrest Warrant (EAW). Andriy Portnov was murdered on May 21, 2025, in the upscale district of Pozuelo de Alarcón. The attacker struck in the morning, around 9:15 a.m., shortly after the politician had dropped his children off at a prestigious American school. The victim received several shots to the head and back, dying on the spot next to his Mercedes car. Three people are believed to have fled the scene, suggesting a planned action by hired assassins. The investigation into the case is being conducted by a court in Pozuelo de Alarcón, which has imposed a secrecy order on the proceedings. The Cologne Public Prosecutor's Office confirmed that extradition proceedings to Spain have already been initiated against the detainee. Andriy Portnov was a highly controversial figure, considered one of the architects of the Ukrainian judicial system during the pro-Russian presidency of Viktor Yanukovych. After the 2014 Maidan Revolution, he fled the country, and in 2021 he was sanctioned by the US for allegedly corrupting judges. The motives for the crime remain the subject of an intense investigation. Portnov, despite facing charges of treason in his homeland, felt safe in Spain and did not use protection. Spanish authorities initially linked the case to the activities of organized criminal groups. The search of the detainee's apartment in Heinsberg is expected to provide new evidence allowing for a full clarification of the circumstances of the murder and the identification of any possible masterminds. „El autor presunto del asesinato del ciudadano ucraniano A.P., ocurrido el 21 de mayo... La investigación continúa abierta para el total esclarecimiento del hecho.” (The alleged perpetrator of the murder of Ukrainian citizen A.P., which occurred on May 21... The investigation remains open for the full clarification of the facts.) — Spanish National Police

Mentioned People

  • Andrij Portnow — Ukrainian lawyer and politician, former deputy head of President Yanukovych's administration, shot dead in Madrid.
  • Wiktor Janukowycz — Pro-Russian former president of Ukraine, ousted in 2014.
  • Wołodymyr Zełenski — President of Ukraine.