Russian artist and activist Semyon Skripetsky shot dead in Poland

[84499] Russian artist and activist Semyon Skripetsky shot dead in Poland

Russian artist and activist Semyon Skripetsky shot dead in Poland

This morning (June 15, 2026), the murder of Russian artist and political activist Semyon Skripetsky (real name Robert Kozubov) was reported in the city of Biala Podlaska, Poland, near the border with Belarus. According to wPolsce24, Skripetsky was shot several times at close range while in the parking lot of a residential complex and died of his wounds on the way to the hospital.

The reports on the identity of the victim were confirmed by several media outlets, including SOTA and NEXTA Live. Local police forces launched a manhunt, and according to BBC News | Russian Service, a suspect—likely a Belarusian citizen—was arrested near the Belarusian consulate in Biala Podlaska, to which he attempted to flee. Baza reported that a taxi driver who transported the suspects was also detained for questioning.

Skripetsky was known for sharp political cartoons he published against Vladimir Putin, Ramzan Kadyrov, and other figures in Russia and Belarus. Just a few days ago, he held a protest performance in Berlin in front of the Russian embassy. The Insider notes that about an hour before his death, Skripetsky posted on Telegram that he was receiving threats from "Russian patriots." NEXTA Live emphasized that Skripetsky had been marked as a target due to his relentless "trolling" of the regime in Russia.

While Russian and Ukrainian opposition media see the incident as a political assassination funded by the Kremlin, entities identified with pro-Russian positions attempted to cast doubt on the motives. Yulia Vityazeva claimed that it was a "Western provocation" and that Skripetsky was a "fringe figure," while Ukraina.ru called the case a "ritual sacrifice" for propaganda purposes.