A Russian artist critical of President Vladimir Putin was shot and killed in the eastern Polish town of Biala Podlaska. The victim, identified as Robert Kuzovkov, who also used the artistic pseudonym Semyon Skrepetsky, was targeted in an attack on Monday. Marcin Kozak, a spokesperson for the district prosecutor in Lublin, stated that five shots were fired at the victim, including one to the head.
Kuzovkov was a performer known for creating provocative caricatures of prominent Russian political figures and expressing criticism of the current actions of the Russian Federation's authorities. Three days before his death, he had traveled to Berlin for Russia Day on June 12, where he staged a protest outside the Russian embassy featuring an icon-like caricature of Joseph Stalin and Vladimir Putin.
Two Belarusian nationals have been detained in connection with the case, though they have not been charged. The Internal Security Agency is cooperating closely with police and prosecutors, with the identity of the victim being considered a key element of the investigation. Poland has stated that its role as a hub for military and other supplies to Ukraine has made it a target for Russian spies gathering information on support for Kyiv and engaging in acts of sabotage.