Two Belarusians arrested in Poland for murder of Russian artist and activist

Polish authorities have apprehended two Belarusian nationals, aged 33 and 37, in connection with the murder of Russian artist and activist Robert Kuzovkov, who was known by the pseudonym Semion Skrepetski. The artist was fatally shot in Biała Podlaska, a city in eastern Poland situated approximately 40 kilometers from the Belarusian border.

According to Marcin Kozak, spokesperson for the District Prosecutor's Office in Lublin, an unidentified assailant fired three shots at Kuzovkov as he stood on a sidewalk. After the victim fell, the attacker approached and fired two additional shots at close range. The incident occurred on Monday morning between 9:30 and 9:45 AM in a parking lot near Terebelska Street.

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a man hitherto unidentified shot the victim three times with a pistol, and when he fell, the aggressor approached him and shot him twice more at close range.

Kuzovkov, 44, was recognized for his satirical caricatures depicting Russian President Vladimir Putin and other leaders. He was a vocal critic of the Russian government and had openly denounced the invasion of Ukraine, which led him to seek exile in Poland in 2021. The prosecutor's office highlighted that Kuzovkov's artistic work consistently expressed criticism of Russian authorities.

Just hours before his death, Kuzovkov posted on his Telegram channel that he was receiving "serious threats." This followed a protest he staged on June 12 in front of the Russian embassy in Berlin, where he displayed a painting resembling an Orthodox icon, portraying Putin in the arms of Stalin as the infant Jesus. The Polish Internal Security Agency is collaborating with the police in an ongoing investigation to determine if the assassination had political motives. The two detained suspects, one of whom is believed to be the shooter, are currently in preventive detention.

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receiving serious threats