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Exiled Russian Artist Shot Dead in Eastern Poland

Polish prosecutors and the country’s internal security agency are probing whether the execution‑style killing was politically motivated and tied to cross‑border threats.

Overview

  • The attack took place Monday morning in Biała Podlaska and prosecutors said the victim was shot five times, including once to the head, in what they described as an execution‑style killing.
  • Police detained two Belarusian citizens hours after the shooting near the Belarusian consulate; both remain in custody while investigators probe their role and no formal charges have been filed.
  • Media reports and officials identified the deceased as Robert Kuzovkov, known professionally as Semion Skrepetski, a 44‑year‑old artist who fled Russia for Poland in 2021 over fears of arrest.
  • Three days before the killing he staged a provocative protest in Berlin showing a StalinPutin caricature and later said he had received hostile messages and threats on his Telegram channel.
  • Polish authorities have assigned counterintelligence resources to the inquiry and warn the case could highlight risks to political exiles and Poland’s exposure to foreign intelligence or sabotage because of its role supporting Ukraine.