A Russian artist known for his bold criticism of President Vladimir Putin has been killed in a shooting in Poland, in an attack investigators have described as having the hallmarks of an execution.
Semyon Skrepetsky, the pseudonym used by Russian artist Robert Kuzovkov, was reportedly gunned down on Monday in Biała Podlaska, a Polish city near the Belarusian border.
The 44-year-old had fled Russia in 2021 over fears of arrest linked to his political activism and outspoken stance against the Kremlin, settling in Poland thereafter.
According to Polish authorities, the attack took place in a parking lot near his residence.
Marcin Kozak, spokesperson for the district prosecutor’s office in Lublin, said the artist was approached by an unidentified gunman who initially fired two shots at him.
After Kuzovkov fell to the ground, the attacker reportedly moved in closer and fired three more rounds before fleeing. The artist sustained gunshot wounds to his head, chest, and back, and was pronounced dead at the scene.
Investigators recovered five spent shell casings along with a Geco 9mm Luger bullet from the area, and an autopsy has since been scheduled.
Kuzovkov’s artwork frequently took aim at Putin, Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko, and Chechen strongman Ramzan Kadyrov.
Notably, just days before his death, he had taken part in a Russia Day protest outside the Russian embassy in Berlin, where he displayed a painting portraying Putin alongside former Soviet leader Joseph Stalin, accompanied by a Russian flag dragged across the ground — an appearance that has drawn renewed scrutiny following his killing.
In the aftermath of the shooting, Polish authorities launched a swift manhunt that led to the arrest of two Belarusian nationals, aged 33 and 37.
It remains unclear whether the suspects have been formally charged or linked directly to the killing, as investigations continue.
