Russian artist critical of Kremlin shot dead in Poland

A 44-year-old Russian artist, Robert Kuzovkov, known for his criticism of President Vladimir Putin, was shot and killed near his home in Biala Podlaska, Poland, on June 12. Prosecutors reported that two Belarusian citizens, aged 37 and 33, were arrested near the Belarusian Consulate following the incident. Kuzovkov, who used the pseudonym Semyon Skrepetsky, created art that criticized Russian authorities, including portraits of Putin and Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov. On the day before his death, he posted a video on YouTube in which he placed a Russian flag in a trash can. The shooting occurred around 9:45 a.m., with the assailant approaching Kuzovkov and firing multiple shots, resulting in fatal injuries. Polish prosecutors have not linked the murder to the Russian government, and Poland's Internal Security Agency has not commented on the matter. This incident follows a pattern of alleged assassination attempts by Russia against its critics abroad.