Former Ukrainian official shot dead outside school in Madrid

A former senior Ukrainian official, Andriy Portnov, has been shot dead outside an American school in Madrid, Spain.

Spanish and Ukrainian sources confirmed that the 51-year-old was attacked shortly after dropping off his children at the school located in Pozuelo de Alarcón, a suburb of the capital.

The gunman fled into a nearby wooded park after firing several shots at Portnov, according to Spanish media.

Portnov was a former MP and served as deputy head in the administration of former Ukrainian president Viktor Yanukovych, who was ousted in 2014 following mass protests.

After the revolution, Portnov left Ukraine and was later sanctioned by the US Treasury in 2021, which described him as "widely known as a court fixer" who had taken steps to control the judiciary and block reform efforts.

Witnesses said the attack happened around 9:15 am local time, while children were still arriving at the school.

Authorities have not released further details on the identity of the shooter or possible motives behind the killing.

"He was just dropping off his children like any other parent. Then we heard the gunshots," said one witness at the scene.

Police have cordoned off the area and launched a search for the suspect, who was last seen escaping into a wooded area near the school.

Investigations are ongoing, with security heightened in the surrounding area.

A similar shooting occurred in 2018 outside a British Council school just a few kilometres away, raising concerns over targeted attacks near educational institutions in Madrid.