Russian caricaturist Semyon Skrepetsky killed in Poland, two Belarusians arrested

Russian artist Robert Kuzovkov, known by the pen name Semyon Skrepetsky, was shot dead on 15 June 2026 in the eastern Polish city of Biała Podlaska, near the Belarus border. The 44‑year‑old satirist was famous for caricatures of Vladimir Putin, Joseph Stalin, Ramzan Kadyrov and Alexei Navalny, and had lived in Poland since 2021 after fleeing alleged political persecution in Russia.

Police say the attacker approached Skrepetsky on the street, fired three shots with a revolver, and after he fell, shot him two more times at close range. Polish prosecutors have detained two Belarusian nationals in connection with the killing. The motive remains unknown, and investigations are ongoing.

Skrepetsky had recently taken part in a protest in Berlin on Russia’s National Day, displaying a cartoon of Stalin holding Putin. The murder adds to concerns over the safety of Russian dissidents living abroad, especially in countries that serve as logistical hubs for aid to Ukraine.