Russian artist critical of Kremlin shot dead in Poland

WARSAW, June 16 - A Russian artist critical of President Vladimir Putin was shot and killed in the eastern Polish town of Biala Podlaska, a Polish prosecutor said on Tuesday.

Five shots were fired at the victim, including one to the head, Marcin Kozak, a spokesperson for the district prosecutor in Lublin told a press briefing, adding two Belarusians had been detained, but not charged, in connection with the case.

Local media identified the victim of Monday's attack as Robert Kuzovkov, also known under his artistic pseudonym as Semyon Skrepetsky, a Russian artist and performer known for his criticism of the Russian leader.

Kozak confirmed that the dead man, whom prosecutors identified as Robert K., was engaged in artistic activity in which he expressed criticism of the current actions of the authorities of the Russian Federation.

Three days before he was killed, Skrepetsky had travelled to Berlin on Russia Day, a June 12 holiday marking the country's declaration of sovereignty before the collapse of the Soviet Union, where he staged a protest with an icon-like caricature of Joseph Stalin and Putin, according to the Meduza news outlet.

The identity of the victim would be a key element for the investigation, Kozak said by phone.

Poland says its role as a hub for military and other supplies to Ukraine has made it a target for Russian spies trying to gather information on support for Kyiv's effort to repel Russia's invasion, as well as engage in acts of sabotage.

The Russian embassy in Warsaw was not immediately available for comment. Jacek Dobrzynski, a spokesman for Poland's special services minister, said that the Internal Security Agency had been cooperating closely with police and prosecutors on the matter. REUTERS