Andriy Portnov

Andrii Portnov was  deputy head of the Presidential Administration under Viktor Yanukovych, known for his pro-Russian views.

During the Euromaidan, he was  the initiator of drafting the "dictatorship laws" of January 16, 2014. They restricted the constitutional rights of citizens and were aimed at suppressing the will of the people. 

He left Ukraine after Yanukovych fled and after the shootings on the Maidan. 

Canada and the US imposed sanctions against Portnov.

He is the former owner of the pro-Russian channel NewsOne. He ran it in 2018.

On May 19, 2019, the politician announced that he had returned to Ukraine. However, after the full-scale invasion, Andrii Portnov left the country again on June 3, 2022 through a checkpoint in Zakarpattia region.

It is known that Portnov:

• in December 2024 was stripped of state awards;
• in January 2025, a petition calling for sanctions against Portnov gathered the number of votes required for consideration. However, Prime Minister Shmyhal said the Cabinet had found no grounds for imposing sanctions against Andrii Portnov.

On May 21, 2025, Andrii Portnov was shot dead in Spain.