Polish police investigate the execution‑style killing of Russian artist and Putin critic Robert Kuzovkov. The 44‑year‑old, known onstage as Semyon Skrepetsky, was shot five times in a car park in Biała Podlaska, just 40 km from the Belarusian border. Five shell casings and a 9mm Luger bullet were found at the scene during the morning incident today.

Skrepetsky had moved to the city in 2021 and used his art to lampoon leaders such as Putin, Lukashenko and Kadyrov. Witnesses say an unknown gunman approached him, fired two shots, then returned for a burst of three more before fleeing. The attack occurred about 600 m from the Belarusian consulate in the parking near the border.

Polish prosecutors detained two Belarusian citizens near the consulate while an autopsy is set for Wednesday. The case raises questions about cross‑border security and the safety of dissenters abroad. Authorities have yet to identify the shooter, but the rapid escape and proximity to diplomatic premises suggest a possible state‑linked operation in Poland today under investigation.

The killing echoes a pattern of targeted attacks on Russian exiles in Europe. Skrepetsky’s caricatures, often displayed at protests, challenged Kremlin narratives and drew international attention. His death underscores the risks faced by political artists and the lengths some regimes will go to silence criticism, even beyond their borders for international artists and activists today.