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Andriy Portnov was previously a senior aide to removed former President Viktor Yanukovych and had been the subject of US sanctions.

A Ukrainian former politician has been shot dead by an unknown assailant outside a school in Madrid, Spain, authorities said.

The man was identified by Spain’s Ministry of Interior as Andriy Portnov, who was previously a senior aide to Ukraine’s former President Viktor Yanukovych.

The attack on Wednesday morning took place outside the gates of the American School in the Spanish capital’s upscale neighbourhood of Pozuelo de Alarcon.

Police were called at about 9:15am (07:15 GMT) and notified that a man had been shot in the street.

Witnesses quoted by the police said he was shot “several times” in the head and body by more than one assailant. The attackers fled on foot, police said.

Radio station Cadena SER reported that Portnov was taking his children to school when he was attacked.

Portnov had been closely tied to Ukraine’s pro-Russian former leader Yanukovych, having served as deputy head of the presidential office from 2010 to 2014.

During Yanukovych’s time in power, Portnov was involved in drafting legislation aimed at persecuting participants of the 2014 revolution in Ukraine. He was later placed on several sanctions lists, including by the US Treasury in 2021.

This is a developing story. More to come…