Robert Kuzovkov, known as Semyon Skrepetsky, was shot five times in Biała Podlaska. Two Belarusian nationals were detained.
1:59 PM
A Russian artist known for caricatures mocking Vladimir Putin and other authoritarian leaders was shot to death in eastern Poland on Monday, authorities said.
Robert Kuzovkov, 44, publicly known as Semyon Skrepetsky, was killed in a parking lot in Biała Podlaska, approximately 25 miles from the Belarusian border and about 650 yards from the Belarusian consulate. He was shot five times, including in the head, chest and back, according to Marcin Kozak, spokesperson for the District Prosecutor's Office in Lublin.
The shooting occurred shortly before 10 a.m. in a residential area. According to investigators, a gunman approached Skrepetsky on a pedestrian path and fired two shots. When Skrepetsky fell to the ground, the attacker walked closer and fired three additional times before fleeing the scene. Five shell casings and one Geco 9mm Luger bullet were recovered from the crime scene.
Kuzovkov had been living in Poland since 2021, having left Russia over fears of political persecution. He was known for performances and artwork attacking Putin, as well as other leaders including Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko and Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov. His grotesque portraits ridiculed members of the Russian elite and opposition figures alike.
Two Belarusian nationals were detained in connection with the case, though they have not been indicted, Kozak said. Investigators are treating the killing as a potential political execution, according to local media reports.
An autopsy was scheduled for Wednesday. The investigation remains ongoing.
A large-scale Russian strike killed five emergency workers in Kharkiv and wounded dozens in Kyiv, igniting fires at apartment buildings and a centuries-old religious site.
Russian forces conducted nearly 100 attacks across three days on Ukrainian region, targeting civilian infrastructure and residential areas.
Overnight strikes on Kiev, Dnipro, Kharkiv and other cities involved 656 drones and 73 missiles, with 33 drones and missiles penetrating defenses.
A massive Russian aerial attack on Kyiv overnight killed at least eight people and injured dozens more, with search and rescue operations ongoing.
Vladimir Solovyov, a Kremlin-aligned broadcaster, attacked Meloni on air with crude epithets and accusations of betrayal. Italy's Foreign Ministry summoned the Russian ambassador.
President Zelensky says Ukrainian long-range strikes have reached Perm, Chelyabinsk, and Yekaterinburg, targeting Russia's military-industrial complex.