A Russian artist known for his unflattering caricatures of President Vladimir Putin has been shot dead in Poland, and two Belarusian men have been arrested in connection with the killing, prosecutors said Tuesday.
The Polish Prosecutor’s Office in Lublin said in a statement that Semyon Skrepetsky, 44, was killed in a suspected execution on Monday morning in a parking lot near his home in Biała Podlaska, a town located near the Polish-Belarusian border.
Skrepetsky, whose real name is Robert Kuzovkov, had been living in Poland since 2021 after fleeing Russia for fear of being arrested for his activities.
“According to current information, a 44-year-old man approached an unidentified man and fired two shots from a handgun. After the victim fell to the ground, the assailant approached and fired three more shots, then fled the scene shortly thereafter,” the statement said. Kozak added that Skrepetsky was shot in the head and chest and died at the scene.
Kozak said a search was launched immediately after the shooting and police detained two Belarusians, aged 37 and 33, near the Belarusian consulate in Biała Podlaska. “Their role in the incident is under investigation,” the statement said.
Skrepetsky was a prolific painter and critic of President Putin, his regime, and other Russian officials. His psychedelic paintings, sometimes done in the style of Russian Orthodox icons, often depicted Putin wearing a cow’s nose or hugging a pig.
He also often pictured Putin with other Russian officials, world leaders, and other powerful figures, including U.S. President Donald Trump, Chinese President Xi Xinping, Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov, Soviet leader Stalin, and even Elon Musk.
In addition to being staunchly anti-Putin, Skerpetsky was also critical of some of Russia’s opposition figures, including the late activist Alexei Navalny, whom he accused of “destroying the entire Russian opposition.”
Schepetsky was initially seen as a strongly pro-Ukrainian figure, having publicly burned his Russian passport shortly after Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. However, he has since become more critical of Ukraine’s leadership.
