Ukraine has begun investigating the murder of ex-Yanukovych adviser Portnov.

A criminal case was opened into the murder of lawyer Andrei Portnov, a former adviser to former President of Ukraine Viktor Yanukovych, in Madrid. This was announced on June 9 at the office of the Prosecutor General of the Republic.

"We inform you that the Main Investigative Department of the National Police of Ukraine <...> has entered information into the Unified Register of Pre—Trial Investigations and launched criminal proceedings into the premeditated murder of Andrei Portnov," Ukrainska Pravda quotes an excerpt from the statement.

It is specified that the criminal case was initiated under Article 115 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine ("Premeditated murder") under paragraphs 11 ("Committed to order") and 12 ("Committed by prior agreement by a group of persons").

The department noted that as of early June, the pre-trial investigation is ongoing. At the same time, they did not answer journalists' questions regarding communication with Spanish investigators, as well as priority versions. According to the Prosecutor General's Office of Ukraine, this information contains the "secret of the pre-trial investigation" and cannot be disclosed at this stage.

Caught in the "Web": how could the SBU recruit Artem Timofeev

The person involved in the attack on airfields turned out to be associated with the candidate for the post of Deputy Minister of Defense of Ukraine.

Portnov was shot in the vicinity of Madrid on May 21. The killer was waiting for the victim on a motorcycle at the school gates. It is known that the attacker shot at Portnov at least nine times, after which he fled. The Spanish court has classified the murder trial.