Arrest in connection with killing of Russian cartoonist in eastern Poland
Police have arrested a man carrying a Georgian passport suspected of involvement in the murder of Russian artist Semion Skrepiecki in eastern Poland. Prime Minister Donald Tusk points to a possible political character to the crime.
Arrest in connection with killing of Russian cartoonist in eastern Poland
On Monday, a 44-year-old Russian cartoonist living in exile was killed in the eastern part of the country. The perpetrator fired three shots from a handgun at the victim, and when he fell, approached and fired two more times from close range.
The victim turned out to be Robert Kuzowkow, known artistically as Semion Skrepiecki. His works, often provocative, were directed against leading political figures of the Russian Federation, including Vladimir Putin, former Soviet leader Joseph Stalin, opposition figure Alexei Navalny, and Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov. The artist settled in Poland in 2021, explaining his decision by fear of persecution due to his political views.
On Thursday, the head of the Polish government announced the arrest of one of the suspects. The detainee is carrying a Georgian passport. The authorities are conducting an investigation to establish who commissioned the crime.
On Wednesday, Donald Tusk assessed that everything points to this being a murder with a political motive. He added that if the crime was commissioned by Russian authorities, the matter takes on a serious international dimension.
In the past, several opponents of the Kremlin have fallen victim to assassinations abroad, including attacks using poisons. In Britain, former FSB officer Alexander Litvinenko died in 2006 after being poisoned with polonium. In 2018, former double agent Sergei Skripal and his daughter Julia survived an attack using Novichok, which however led to the death of one of the country's citizens. Moscow consistently denies any involvement in these incidents.
Source: Le Figaro
Source: Google News LU FR