Russian Artist Robert Kuzovkov Shot Dead in Poland
Robert Kuzovkov, a Russian artist known for his outspoken criticism of Vladimir Putin and Ramzan Kadyrov, the pro-Putin leader of Chechnya, was shot and killed in his home in eastern Poland on Tuesday.
Kuzovkov, who also used the name Semyon Skrepetsky, garnered attention for his art, which often satirized Russian political figures. Polish authorities reported that he was shot five times in the head, chest, and back in Biała Podlaska, a small town about 40 miles from the Belarusian border.
Marcin Kozak, a spokesman for the Lublin District Prosecutor’s Office, indicated that two Belarusians aged 37 and 33 were apprehended near the Belarusian Consulate in Biała Podlaska, and their involvement in the shooting is currently under investigation.
“Preliminary findings suggest that an unidentified man approached Kuzovkov—who was 44 at the time—and fired two shots. After he fell, the shooter came closer and fired three additional shots before fleeing,” Kozak’s statement elaborated.
A thorough examination of the crime scene and Kuzovkov’s body revealed he suffered a total of seven gunshot wounds, with five of them being entry wounds.
Kozak noted that Kuzovkov, under the pseudonym Semyon Skrepetsky, was engaged in public activities aimed at critiquing the Russian government’s policies.
BBC sources have reported that Kuzovkov fled Russia in 2021 out of concern for legal repercussions and received asylum in Biała Podlaska. While in exile, he continued to produce satirical cartoons, some of which targeted Putin and Kadyrov among other politicians.
His approach to political opposition was complex; he participated in protests while also criticizing the opposition movement. Kuzovkov was recently seen in a video during a Russia Day protest outside the Russian embassy in Berlin, displaying caricatures of both Joseph Stalin and Putin.
A friend of Kuzovkov, Brat Subhankulov, expressed concerns over his safety, saying he repeatedly warned him to be cautious. “He was just that kind of guy: completely reckless and stubborn,” Subhankulov remarked.
