A Spanish court has ordered the case file on the murder of Andriy Portnov, a former adviser to former Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych who was shot dead on May 21, 2025, in a suburb of Madrid to remain classified. Judge Maria Espinosa said the restriction was due to the “sensitivity of the data” and the need to protect the investigation as police continue to hunt for the killer and his two accomplices. The murder of a senior Ukrainian politician has caused widespread controversy in Europe, raising questions about the safety of political exiles and possible motives linked to the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine.

Portnov was killed in the Las Rozas neighborhood, near the American International School. An unknown assailant fired at least nine bullets from a pistol with a silencer at him, then fled in a car with two accomplices. Madrid police found Portnov's body in a parking lot, next to his car, and immediately put three suspects on the wanted list. CCTV cameras recorded a black SUV, which the perpetrators are believed to have driven away in, but their identities have not yet been established. According to El País, investigators are considering the possibility of a contract killing related to Portnov's political activities.

Andriy Portnov, who served as Yanukovych's adviser from 2010 to 2014, left Ukraine after the Euromaidan and lived in Spain, where he received a residence permit. According to RBC-Ukraine, he actively criticized the Kyiv authorities, accusing them of corruption, and maintained ties with a number of pro-Russian politicians. His murder occurred against the backdrop of an escalation of the Russian-Ukrainian conflict, which gave rise to speculation about the possible involvement of the secret services.