Polish police have arrested a man suspected of involvement in the murder of Russian artist Semyon Skrepetsky, who was known for his critical caricatures of President Vladimir Putin and other Russian political figures. Prime Minister Donald Tusk announced the arrest on Thursday, stating that the suspect was using a Georgian passport and that foreign intelligence services might be involved.
Interior Minister Marcin Kierwiński confirmed the suspect's passport at a news conference and said the 36-year-old man is suspected of links to organized crime. Security services minister Tomasz Siemoniak indicated that foreign services sometimes hire criminals for operations, a possibility Poland is taking seriously.
Skrepetsky, whose real name is Robert Kuzovkov, was fatally shot three times in Biała Podlaska, eastern Poland. Tusk had previously described the artist's death as a probable "political murder" with potential international implications if commissioned by Russia.
The Polish government had offered Skrepetsky protection in the past, which he declined. Two Belarusian citizens were initially detained in connection with the death but have since been released. Skrepetsky had moved to Poland in 2021, citing fears of political persecution in Russia.
