Russian artist critical of Putin shot dead in Poland; two Belarusians arrested

A Russian artist, known for his sharp criticism of President Vladimir Putin, was fatally shot outside his home in eastern Poland on Monday morning. The 44-year-old, identified by Polish media as Robert Kuzovkov, was shot at close range in the town of Biała Podlaska.

Prosecutors announced the arrest of two Belarusian citizens, aged 37 and 33, near their country's consulate shortly after the murder. Marcin Kozak, spokesperson for the Lublin regional prosecutor's office, confirmed that Kuzovkov, whom authorities identified as Robert K., was an artist whose work expressed "criticism of the current actions of the Russian authorities." Kuzovkov, also known by his artistic pseudonym Semyon Skrepletsky, had repeatedly criticized Putin and had staged a protest against him just days before his death. According to Meduza, on Russia Day, June 12, he traveled to Berlin and was pictured holding a satirical depiction of Joseph Stalin embracing Putin.

Prosecutors reported that three days later, around 9:45 a.m., the artist was attacked by an unknown man near his home. The assailant fired two shots, then three more at close range, before fleeing. Kuzovkov died at the scene from wounds to his head, chest, and back.

Polish authorities have not directly attributed the assassination to Moscow. However, Poland has pointed out that its role as a hub for humanitarian and military aid to Ukraine has made it a target for Russian espionage and sabotage. In November, a Polish government official accused Russian secret services of detonating an explosion on a railway line connecting Warsaw to the Ukrainian border. Prime Minister Donald Tusk called the incident an "unprecedented act of sabotage" at the time. Russia has periodically been accused of attempting to assassinate dissidents abroad, including in France and Lithuania. A notable example is the failed poisoning attempt with Novichok in Salisbury, England, in 2018, which British authorities claimed was approved by Putin. German authorities have also thwarted plots targeting the head of a German arms company supplying Ukraine, as well as a Ukrainian military official. In 2024, Polish authorities arrested a man for an alleged plot to assassinate Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

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criticism of the current actions of the Russian authorities