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Jun 17, 2026 Major2
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Russian opposition artist Robert Kuzovkov shot dead in exile in Poland

Russian opposition artist Robert Kuzovkov, known for satirising President Putin under the pseudonym Semyon Skrepetsky, was shot dead in a Polish town near the Belarusian border. Police have detained two Belarusian citizens, and the attack is being investigated as a targeted murder.





Quick Facts
Who
Robert Kuzovkov (Semyon Skrepetsky)
What
Exiled Russian artist shot dead in Poland
When
Monday morning
Where
Biała Podlaska, Poland
- Exiled Russian artist shot dead in Poland
- Two Belarusian citizens detained
- Investigation by Polish prosecutors ongoing
- Autopsy scheduled for Wednesday
- Robert Kuzovkov (Semyon Skrepetsky)
Polish authorities are investigating the murder of a 44-year-old Russian artist and vocal critic of President Vladimir Putin, who was shot dead in a car park in the eastern Polish town of Biała Podlaska. The artist, Robert Kuzovkov, who used the pseudonym Semyon Skrepetsky, was killed on Monday morning in a town located about 40km (25 miles) from the Belarusian border. According to prosecutors, he was shot five times at close range, including in the head, chest and back, just 600 metres from the Belarusian consulate.
Two Belarusian citizens, aged 33 and 37, have been detained near the consulate, though their role in the incident remains under investigation, said Marcin Kozak, spokesman for the district prosecutor's office in Lublin. Kozak described the attack, saying the gunman initially fired two shots; after the victim fell, the perpetrator approached and fired three more shots before fleeing. Five shell casings and one Geco 9mm Luger bullet were recovered from the scene. An autopsy is scheduled for Wednesday.
Kuzovkov had been granted asylum in Biała Podlaska after leaving Russia in 2021, fearing criminal prosecution for his work. He was known for provocative political caricatures targeting Putin, Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko, Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov, and others. In one of his final acts, on 12 June he staged a protest outside the Russian embassy in Berlin, where he pulled a Russian flag from his pocket and threw it in a bin, wearing a T-shirt depicting Putin sitting on a pile of skulls.
Friends and fellow artists expressed shock and a sense of foreboding. Belarusian artist Vladislav Bokhan, who knew Skrepetsky, said he feared for his safety. Bulat Subkhankulov, a friend, told the BBC: "I kept telling him: 'Mate, they're going to come for you... Please be prepared, always stay alert.'" He described Kuzovkov as "completely reckless and stubborn."
The killing has raised concerns about the safety of exiled Russian opposition figures. Kuzovkov is survived by his wife and five children in Poland.
Why This Matters
This targeted killing of a Russian opposition artist in Poland, with suspects detained near a Belarusian consulate, signals a dangerous escalation in the Kremlin's reach against exiled critics. For readers, it underscores the heightened security risks faced by Russian dissidents abroad and the potential for cross-border operations in EU member states, which may affect asylum policies and diplomatic relations between Poland, Belarus, and Russia.
Timeline & Sources
Jan 1, 2021
WireKuzovkov leaves Russia and is granted asylum in Biała Podlaska, Poland
Jun 12, 2026
WireKuzovkov stages protest outside Russian embassy in Berlin
Jun 16, 2026
WireTwo Belarusian citizens detained
Jun 17, 2026
WireAutopsy scheduled