Russian artist Semyon Skrepetsky murdered in Poland

On Monday morning, 44-year-old Russian artist Robert Kuzovkov, known by the pseudonym Semyon Skrepetsky, was shot and killed in Biała Podlaska, Poland. The incident occurred in a car park approximately 600 meters from the Belarusian consulate. According to the District Prosecutor’s Office in Lublin, an unidentified gunman fired five shots at the artist, who was known for his satirical caricatures of Russian, Belarusian, and Chechen political figures, including Vladimir Putin, Alexander Lukashenko, and Ramzan Kadyrov. Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk described the event as a political assassination, noting that the artist had previously declined security offers from Polish authorities. While police initially detained two Belarusian citizens near the scene, judicial authorities later released them. Investigators are currently searching for the perpetrator, and an autopsy is scheduled for Wednesday. No official motive has been confirmed, and Polish authorities are investigating the potential international dimensions of the case.