Outspoken Russian Artist Semyon Skrapetsky Shot Dead in Poland; Two Belarusians Detained

A Russian-born artist who publicly mocked and criticized senior figures in Moscow and Minsk was shot dead on the morning of June 15 in the eastern Polish city of Biała Podlaska, near the border with Belarus. Authorities described the attack as highly targeted and have detained two Belarusian citizens as part of an ongoing murder investigation.

The Lublin district prosecutor's office said the killing took place between about 9:30 and 9:45 a.m. on Monday, June 15, at a parking area near the intersection of Terabelska and Queen Jadwiga streets in Biała Podlaska, roughly 30–40 kilometres from the Belarusian border. Marcin Kozak, press secretary for the Lublin district prosecutor's office, gave details of the scene at a briefing with Polish journalists.

According to investigators, a man approached the victim from behind and fired three shots at close range. When the victim fell, the assailant moved closer and fired two additional shots, striking the head and upper chest. Forensic investigators recovered spent casings and a 9-millimetre bullet at the scene; the weapon used has been described as a short-barrel firearm.

An anonymous official quoted by Polish portal Onet said the killing "looked like an execution": «Гэта выглядала як экзэкуцыя. Некалькі стрэлаў з блізкай адлегласьці. Расеец шмат пісаў у сацыяльных сетках пра тое, дзе ён будзе. На жаль, ён быў лёгкай цэльсю». Authorities have not publicly named a suspect, but Polish police asked residents of Biała Podlaska to share dashcam or other camera footage that could help reconstruct the route the alleged killer took.

During an early stage of the investigation police detained two Belarusian citizens, both reported to be aged between 30 and 40, near the Belarusian consulate in Biała Podlaska. Prosecutors said on the record that no formal charges have yet been brought, but that investigators have "certain evidence" prompting the arrests and that further detentions are possible. «Мы ўжо маем пэўныя доказы, якія дазволілі нам затрымаць двух грамадзянаў Рэспублікі Беларусь, якія, паводле нашых зьвестак, могуць быць або маглі быць датычныя да гэтай справы», — адзначыў Козак.

The victim was an artist who worked under the name Semyon Skrapetsky; his legal name was Robert Kuzavkov. He was known for satirical drawings, performances and public actions that criticized President Vladimir Putin, Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov and Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko. According to friends and colleagues, he supported Belarusian protest movements and took part in solidarity actions in Poland after relocating there in 2021 amid fears of political persecution in Russia. He lived with his family in Biała Podlaska.

Colleague and friend Uladzislau Bokhan, who spoke with Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, said Skrapetsky regularly received threats after ramping up public provocation of pro-Kremlin figures. «Ён быў ня тым чалавекам, які будзе скардзіцца на што-небудзь. У апошнія паўгода, калі ён пачаў жорстка троліць і высьцёбваць кадыраўцаў, мне падаецца, яму былі штодзённа (пагрозы). Як правіла, гэта былі камэнтары ў інстаграме або на ютубе. Ён рабіў падборкі скрыншотаў. Гэта было ўжо нешта звыклае для яго. Ня ведаю, ці былі ў яго нейкія страхі на гэты конт. Мне падаецца, ён быў з тых людзей, якія мала чаго баяцца. Яго адрас неаднаразова зьлівалі ў сеткі. Хіба, трэба было падумаць пра тое, каб зьмяніць месца жыхарства», — Bokhan said. He added: «Ён быў з тых людзей, якія мала чаго баяцца.»

Just days before his death, Skrapetsky staged a provocative performance on June 12 near the Russian embassy in Berlin that lampooned Soviet and contemporary Russian leaders, according to accounts of the action. Friends described him as an uncompromising and sometimes abrasive artist whose work sought to expose the darker currents of Russian society and to ridicule figures many others avoided.

Polish investigators said they were continuing forensic and investigative actions and urged anyone with information or footage from the area to come forward. The detention of two Belarusian nationals and the proximity of the killing to the Belarus border have raised immediate questions about possible cross-border links and the motivations behind the attack, but prosecutors have not publicly attributed responsibility to any state actor. The case underscores risks faced by outspoken critics and satirists of authoritarian leaders, and it has drawn concern about the safety of dissidents living in exile.