Police in Poland are investigating the execution‑style murder of a Russian artist and outspoken critic of President Vladimir Putin.
The 44‑year‑old victim, known in the art and political satire circles as Semyon Skrepetsky (real name Robert Kuzovkov), was shot dead on Monday morning in a car park in Biała Podlaska, a city about 40 km from the Belarusian border.
Prosecutors say the gunman fired five shots at the artist’s head, chest and back. Two shots were fired initially, followed by three more after Skrepetsky collapsed, before the attacker fled the scene. Five shell casings and a Geco 9 mm Luger bullet were recovered.
The artist was best known for his caricatures of Vladimir Putin, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko and Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov, often displayed in public art projects and protests.
Police detained two Belarusian citizens aged 33 and 37 near the consulate. Their involvement is still being investigated.
An autopsy is scheduled for Wednesday, while investigators are combing the nearby area for further evidence.
Skrepetsky moved to Biała Podlaska in 2021 and had been active in public artistic activities, often using his pseudonym to speak out against the current Russian administration.
Video posted on social media shows him carrying a painting of Putin and Joseph Stalin during a Russia Day protest outside the Russian embassy in Berlin on 12 June, and an accompanying Russian flag tethered to his trousers.
Facebook/Semyon Skrepetsky
