Who is Andriy Portnov? Criminal cases, scandals, and ties to Yanukovych
Photo: Andriy Portnov (social media)
On May 21, 2025, Andriy Portnov, a former Ukrainian MP and former deputy head of the presidential administration of Viktor Yanukovych, was shot dead in Madrid. He was 51 years old.
Read more about Portnov in the report below.
Andriy Portnov was born on October 27, 1973, in Voroshylovhrad (now Luhansk).
Portnov's legal career began with a job at the State Commission on Securities, where he quickly rose to management positions. However, he then became a lawyer in the Yulia Tymoshenko Bloc, where he headed the legal department of the headquarters from 2005 to 2010. In the parliament, he was twice elected as a member of the Yulia Tymoshenko Bloc and was involved in justice and reforms, but even then he was accused of participating in raider schemes and creating a “legal mafia” in the parliament's committees.
After Tymoshenko's defeat in the 2010 presidential election, Portnov unexpectedly switched to Viktor Yanukovych's camp, which angered his former allies. He became the deputy head of the presidential administration and headed the main department for the judiciary. Among other things, Portnov was responsible for promoting the new Criminal Procedure Code, which was presented as a European breakthrough but in practice became a tool for political persecution and control over the courts.
Euromaidan, Portnov flees from Ukraine
At the height of Euromaidan, Portnov was considered one of the ideologues of the “dictatorial laws” of January 16, 2014, which were adopted in gross violation of the regulations and significantly restricted the rights of citizens. These laws caused a wide resonance and became a catalyst for the radicalization of the protests. Portnov himself later denied any involvement in their development but admitted that he had approved the documents for Yanukovych's signature.
After Yanukovych fled, Portnov left Ukraine on February 24, 2014, claiming an assassination attempt. Later he lived in Russia, then in Vienna. He was associated with pro-Russian media and influence on TV channels, including NewsOne.
He has been repeatedly linked to corruption schemes, raider attacks, and judicial manipulation. Dozens of criminal cases were initiated against Portnov, but most of them were later closed or ended with Portnov's victory in the courts. In 2018-2019, he was accused of involvement in high treason and facilitating the annexation of Crimea.
Return to Ukraine
In 2019, Portnov returned to Ukraine, just before the inauguration of Volodymyr Zelenskyy. This caused outrage in some parts of society, as he remained a symbol of revenge for the old system.
His reinstatement as a professor of constitutional law at the Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv sparked student protests, forcing the university to cancel his appointment. Portnov himself perceived this as persecution and political reprisal.
In 2021, Portnov was added to the US sanctions list. The US Treasury Department accused him of large-scale corruption related to his influence on the Ukrainian judiciary and bribery. His visas and financial assets were blocked.
Ukraine's sanctions against Portnov
In December 2024, a petition was posted on the website of the Cabinet of Ministers demanding that the National Security and Defense Council impose sanctions against Portnov. In January 2025, the petition gained the 25,000 signatures required for consideration.
In response, Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said that the government saw no reason to impose sanctions. According to him, the Ministry of Economy, together with the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Justice, the Security Service, the State Bureau of Investigation, the NABU, the BES, the National Police, and the Prosecutor General's Office, analyzed the petition and concluded that it did not contain any data that could be considered as a basis for sanctions under the law.
Life in exile and death in Madrid
After Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Portnov fled the country through Zakarpattia. According to a journalistic investigation, he could have used the help of government officials. His son left under the guise of volunteering.
Portnov remained abroad and, despite his public activity, de facto ceased to influence the country's political discourse. However, even in exile, he had some influence on Ukraine's judicial and law enforcement system.
He died in Madrid from a gunshot wound on May 21, 2025.
Sources: Wikipedia, a petition on the website of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine, the US Department of the Treasury.
