Oleksandr Azizov, accused of killing Ukrainian lawyer Andrei Portnov in Madrid, has been extradited from Germany and placed in Soto del Real prison. The case points to a contract killing linked to business disputes.
The main suspect in the high-profile murder of Ukrainian lawyer Andrei Portnov has been transferred to Spain and placed in pre-trial detention. Oleksandr Azizov, 45, was handed over by German authorities and is now in Soto del Real prison, following a judge's order issued on Thursday. Portnov, a former adviser to ex-president Viktor Yanukovych, was shot dead in May 2025 outside the American School in Pozuelo de Alarcón, Madrid, as he dropped off his daughters.
Investigators from Madrid's National Police Homicide Unit tracked Azizov to Heinsberg, Germany, near the Dutch border, where he was located on February 25. According to police, Azizov allegedly fired nine shots at close range, killing Portnov instantly. The investigation, which lasted over a year, suggests the killing was a contract hit connected to Portnov's business activities. The victim had moved to Madrid with his family in July 2022, settling in the upscale La Moraleja district.
Authorities believe Azizov did not act alone. His brother, Vieli Azizov, 42, and a woman named Yuliia Skovpen, 36, are suspected of assisting in the escape and remain fugitives. Police were able to trace the getaway vehicle and link it to the suspects, but both accomplices are still wanted. The case has drawn attention due to the methodical planning and the apparent vulnerability of Portnov, who, despite sometimes being accompanied by trusted associates for security, did not employ professional bodyguards and felt secure in Madrid.
Azizov's defense, led by lawyer Julen Martínez, maintains that his client was not in Madrid at the time of the murder, citing documents and a training course in Germany as an alibi. Martínez argues that the evidence is circumstantial, based on vehicle ownership and phone records, and insists there is no forensic proof or reliable identification linking Azizov to the crime scene or the weapon.
Police believe Portnov's routine of personally taking his children to school made him an accessible target. Months before the murder, Portnov attempted to transfer ownership of a €2.5 million mansion near Kyiv to his children, using a Madrid notary and his Ukrainian lawyer, Marina Parinova. This transaction may have inadvertently revealed his location to those planning the attack. The American School in Pozuelo, attended by children of diplomats and prominent figures, became the site of the fatal shooting after the suspects reportedly monitored Portnov's movements to identify the moment of greatest vulnerability.
This case is one of several recent high-profile crimes in Spain involving complex motives and international suspects. For example, a court in Alicante recently sentenced a couple to over 13 years in prison for the killing and dismemberment of their flatmate, a case that also involved financial motives and drew significant public attention. Details of that investigation can be found in this report on a similar criminal case in Alicante.
Spain's legal system continues to face challenges in handling transnational crimes, especially those involving organized networks and cross-border fugitives. The extradition of Azizov underscores the cooperation between European law enforcement agencies in addressing such cases. The trial is expected to focus on the evidence surrounding the alleged contract killing, the involvement of accomplices, and the broader context of business disputes linked to the victim. The outcome may set important precedents for future investigations involving international suspects and complex criminal networks operating in Spain.
