Breakthrough in Investigation: Killer of Yanukovych's Former Advisor Arrested by Police in Germany

The German Federal Police and officers from North Rhine-Westphalia announced an operational success in a case that has engaged European investigative services for months. A man suspected of brutally murdering Andriy Portnov, a former high-ranking official in President Viktor Yanukovych's administration, was apprehended in the town of Heinsberg. The action was the culmination of intense cross-border cooperation, initiated by Spanish police from Madrid, which, in collaboration with Interpol, tracked the perpetrator's movements within the European Union. The Cologne Public Prosecutor's Office is currently overseeing the process aimed at the extradition of the detainee to Spain, where the main proceedings are taking place. Investigators are convinced that the apprehended man is the direct executor of the hit, who successfully evaded law enforcement for nearly a year. The tragic incident occurred on May 21, 2025, in Pozuelo de Alarcón near Madrid, when the assailant fired a series of precise shots at Portnov in front of his children's school building. The event caused shock in Spain due to the perpetrator's ruthlessness and the fact that the attack took place in broad daylight in a safe residential neighborhood. Portnov, a distinguished lawyer, was a deeply controversial figure in Ukrainian politics, associated with the pro-Russian course of the state before the Revolution of Dignity. After Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022, the politician lived in exile, and Spanish services are currently investigating whether his death was motivated by political reasons or corruption-related disputes. Key pieces of evidence in the case include footage from city surveillance systems and mobile phone location data, which linked the suspect's profile to the crime scene. Andriy Portnov was the architect of changes to the Ukrainian Code of Criminal Procedure in 2012, and his career collapsed abruptly after President Yanukovych fled to Russia in 2014, forcing him into years of life in exile. The arrest in Germany closes a significant stage of the investigation, but questions about the masterminds remain unanswered. The crime mechanism indicates the involvement of a professional network, which, in the context of geopolitical tensions in Eastern Europe, raises suspicions about the participation of foreign intelligence services. Portnov possessed knowledge about the financial operations of Ukrainian elites, making him an inconvenient person for many parties in the former political disputes in Kyiv. The German judiciary is currently analyzing the validity of the European Arrest Warrant issued by a court in Madrid. If the procedure proceeds without disruption, the suspect will be transferred to custody in Spain within a dozen days. A police spokesperson in Heinsberg emphasized that the operation was carried out without the use of weapons and was the result of both countries' services' focus on operational precision. „Я вірю в справедливість і в те, що правові механізми врешті-решт очистять моє ім'я від політичних звинувачень.” (I believe in justice and that legal mechanisms will eventually clear my name of political accusations.) — Andriy Portnov (2021) This murder fits into a series of as-yet-unexplained attacks on Ukrainian political emigrants residing in Western Europe. Spanish media, such as "El Pais," suggest that the apprehended man may hold citizenship of a Balkan country, which is a common pattern for contract killers operating on commission within the Schengen Area. Investigators hope the suspect's testimony will shed new light on the workings of criminal syndicates infiltrating European security structures. The Portnov case is currently being closely monitored by diplomats, as it concerns a person previously subject to US financial sanctions, giving the investigation the dimension of an international scandal.