Poland Probes Killing of Russian Dissident Artist, Detaining 2 Belarusians After Threats
Updated
Updated · The Moscow Times · Jun 16
Poland Probes Killing of Russian Dissident Artist, Detaining 2 Belarusians After Threats
3 articles · Updated · The Moscow Times · Jun 16
Summary
Biała Podlaska prosecutors said Semyon Skrepetsky was shot several times at close range Monday in a parking lot about 30 kilometers from the Belarusian border.
Hours before the attack, Skrepetsky wrote on Telegram that users had threatened retribution over his June 12 Berlin protest featuring a painting of Stalin holding baby Putin.
Two Belarusian citizens were detained near the Belarusian consulate during a broad police operation, but no charges have been filed and the shooting remains under investigation.
Skrepetsky, born Robert Kuzovkov, moved to Poland in 2021 to escape persecution and built a following with caricatures targeting Putin, Kadyrov, Lukashenko, Stalin and other political figures.
His death adds to concerns over risks facing exiled Russian critics in Europe; after the killing, Ukraine-linked database Myrotvorets marked his profile photo with the word "liquidated."
When an artist is executed for his work, has the frontline of Russia's war moved into EU cities?
Does a dissident's murder in Poland signal a new wave of state-sponsored assassinations across Europe?
June 2026 Assassination of Robert Kuzovkov: Russian Dissident Shot Dead in Poland Amid Rising Threats to Exiles
Overview
On June 15, 2026, Robert Kuzovkov, a Russian dissident artist known for mocking Vladimir Putin, was shot dead in Biała Podlaska, Poland, after publicly sharing threats he had received. The killing, which took place near the Belarusian border, led to the detention of two Belarusian nationals and sparked a major investigation by Polish authorities. This incident fits a troubling pattern of attacks on Kremlin critics in Europe, raising strong suspicions of political motives and possible state involvement. The assassination has heightened fears among émigré communities, underscoring the urgent need for better protection of political exiles in Europe.