Polish authorities have arrested a Georgian national in connection with the fatal shooting of Russian anti-Putin artist and satirist Semyon Skrepetsky, whose real name was Robert Kuzovkov.
The suspect was detained by officers from the Polish Police and the Internal Security Agency (ABW) following the killing, which took place on Monday in the eastern city of Biała Podlaska, near the Belarusian border.
Prime Minister Donald Tusk confirmed the arrest on Thursday, June 18, saying: “A man suspected of involvement in the murder of a Russian man in Biała Podlaska has been detained by Lublin police and the Internal Security Agency (ABW). He is using a Georgian passport. Authorities are working to identify [who ordered the killing].”
Kuzovkov, known for his political cartoons and satire targeting Russian President Vladimir Putin, was reportedly shot several times in the head and chest while walking his dog near his home. Eyewitnesses said the attacker approached the artist in broad daylight before opening fire and fleeing the scene. Polish authorities are investigating the motive behind the killing, with Tusk suggesting it may have political implications.
Speaking on Wednesday, the prime minister said the incident bore the hallmarks of a political assassination and warned that if evidence showed the murder was ordered from Moscow, it would represent a serious international incident. “If the killing was committed on orders from Moscow, then we are dealing with a very serious incident of international dimension,” Tusk said.
He added: “This is state terrorism.” Investigators are continuing efforts to determine whether the suspect acted alone and who may have commissioned the attack.