Madrid (Spain), May 21 (LaPresse) – A 52-year-old Ukrainian man was shot dead in front of the American School in Pozuelo de Alarcón, near Madrid. According to Spanish media outlets including Cadena Ser, the victim was Andriy Portnov, a pro-Russian Ukrainian lawyer and politician who served as an adviser to former president Viktor Yanukovich. The shooting occurred around 9:15 a.m. as he was taking his children to school.

Portnov had previously been investigated for embezzlement of state funds and human rights violations in Ukraine. He was acquitted of those charges but remained under investigation by Ukrainian intelligence services due to his ties with Russia. He was also being investigated for high treason over his alleged role in the annexation of Crimea, according to El Mundo. The attacker fled after opening fire and may have had accomplices. According to police sources cited by Cadena Ser, the killing may have been a settling of scores, though no hypothesis is currently ruled out.

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