In Germany, a suspected murderer of Andrii Portnov was detained

Law enforcement officials reported the detention in Germany of a man suspected of murdering former Deputy Head of the Administration of ex-President Viktor Yanukovych Andrii Portnov. The arrest occurred with the cooperation of Spanish and German security forces. This was reported by Radio Liberty.

According to the National Police of Spain, Spanish agents traveled to the city of Heinsberg, where they conducted the detention together with a special unit of the Federal Criminal Police Office of Germany.

Murder of Andrii Portnov: what is known about the suspect

The investigation preliminarily established that the detainee is the person who fired shots near a school in Pozuelo de Alarcón near Madrid. It was there that Andrii Portnov was shot dead on May 21, 2025.

The Spanish side reported that the following were issued:

• European Arrest Warrant

• European Investigation Order

• permission to search the detainee's residence

Further procedural actions will be carried out within the framework of international cooperation.

Sanctions and Portnov's activities: background

Andrii Portnov held the position of advisor and later Deputy Head of the Administration of Viktor Yanukovych. Since December 2021, he has been under U.S. sanctions due to accusations of influencing the judiciary.

In 2018, Portnov headed the pro-Russian channel NewsOne. A study by the UkraineWorld project from Internews Ukraine in 2020 indicated that he tried to discredit the Revolution of Dignity and promote anti-Western narratives.

The investigation into the circumstances of the murder is ongoing.

It should be noted that the family of former Deputy Head of the Administration of the President of Ukraine Viktor Yanukovych, Andrii Portnov, has come under scrutiny for investing millions of dollars in real estate in Dubai worth over $2 million.