The Spanish National Police have successfully conducted an operation to detain a suspect in the assassination of former Ukrainian politician and lawyer Andriy Portnov. The alleged hitman was located in Germany.
As reported by Hvylya, citing the Spanish outlet Antena 3 Noticias, the arrest was carried out on Wednesday, February 25, 2026, in cooperation with German law enforcement agencies.
According to investigators, the detainee is a Ukrainian citizen. He is identified as the direct executor of the crime, which occurred in May 2025 in the upscale Madrid suburb of Pozuelo de Alarcón. The operation was overseen by Group 5 of the Madrid Provincial Headquarters' Homicide Division.
The murder took place in the morning outside a local school. Portnov was shot in the back as he was getting into his car after dropping off his daughters for class. Spanish journalists note that while several individuals participated in the plot, the man arrested in Germany is believed to be the one who pulled the trigger.
The publication highlights resonant details regarding the victim's background. Portnov served as a key advisor to the Viktor Yanukovych administration and appeared on EU sanctions lists. Spanish media allege that Portnov reportedly met with Volodymyr Zelensky just two days prior to his death.
"Following the crime, Ukrainian intelligence released a photo of Andriy Portnov's body accompanied by the word 'liquidated,'" the authors of the report state.
At the time of his assassination, Portnov was maintaining a lavish lifestyle in Spain. The tuition for his children was approximately 2,000 euros per month, and the vehicle near which he was killed is valued at over 100,000 euros.