Former senior Ukrainian politician Andriy Portnov, 51, was shot and killed outside a private American school in Madrid on Wednesday morning, Spanish authorities have confirmed. The attack occurred around 9:15 a.m. local time in the affluent Pozuelo de Alarcón district, shortly after Portnov had dropped off his children.

Eyewitnesses reported that at least one unidentified gunman opened fire, striking Portnov multiple times in the back and head before fleeing the scene. The assailant reportedly escaped into a wooded area of a nearby public park. A manhunt was immediately launched, involving drones and a police helicopter. Witness descriptions indicated the suspect was a slim man wearing a blue tracksuit. Spanish media later suggested that the attacker may have had an accomplice waiting on a motorbike.

Portnov, once a prominent figure in Ukrainian politics, served as an MP and deputy chief of staff under former President Viktor Yanukovych, who was ousted during Ukraine’s 2014 revolution. He had also previously served in the administration of former Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko. Following the political upheaval, Portnov left Ukraine but returned in 2019 after Volodymyr Zelensky was elected president. He left again some time later.

In 2021, the U.S. Treasury Department imposed sanctions on Portnov, alleging he was widely regarded as a “court fixer” who had manipulated Ukraine’s judiciary to block reform. The European Union had also sanctioned him previously, though Portnov successfully challenged those measures in court.

Authorities have not confirmed a motive for the shooting. However, it comes amid a series of targeted killings involving former officials and defectors from both Ukraine and Russia. In February 2024, a Russian pilot who had defected to Ukraine was killed near Alicante, in what was believed to be a Russian-backed operation.

Wednesday’s shooting caused alarm at the school, where classes were just beginning. The institution issued a statement assuring parents that all students were safe. Portnov’s black Mercedes was cordoned off by police as forensic teams examined the scene.

The investigation remains ongoing, with authorities exploring multiple leads, including possible political or criminal connections.