Russian Dissident Satirist Known for Putin Caricatures Assassinated in Poland

A dissident writer who has been critical of Russian power, including President Vladimir Putin, has been assassinated in Poland.

According to Polish media Polskie Radio and German newspaper Die Zeit, Simon Skrepetski (44, real name Robert Kuzhopkov), a Russian-born satirical artist, was shot and killed in Biała Podlaska, eastern Poland, at approximately 10:00 a.m. local time on June 15.

Local media reported that the suspect fired multiple shots at close range and continued shooting even after Skrepetski had fallen.

Police have arrested one suspect near the Belarusian consulate in Biała Podlaska.

Biała Podlaska is a city located approximately 35 km from the border with Belarus.

Authorities believe there are accomplices and are currently in pursuit.

Skrepetski, born in the Altai Republic in southern Siberia, was known for creating satirical portraits of President Putin, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov, and the late Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, who died in prison in 2024. He had sought asylum in Poland in 2021.

Three days before his death, he marched around the Russian Embassy in Berlin, Germany, carrying his artwork and performed a demonstration in which he threw a Russian flag into a trash can.

The artwork he displayed was a portrait in the style of a religious icon, comparing Putin and Soviet dictator Joseph Stalin (1879–1953) to the relationship between Jesus and the Virgin Mary.

(Photo: Simon Skrepetski Facebook, Yonhap News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.