Polish police said Monday that a Russian artist and outspoken critic of President Vladimir Putin was shot dead in eastern Poland in what authorities believe was likely a targeted killing.

A police spokesperson in the Lublin region said the 44-year-old victim suffered multiple gunshot wounds in the city of Biała Podlaska, located about 35 kilometers from the Belarusian border.

According to investigators, the circumstances suggest the attack was planned, although the motive has not yet been established and the suspect remains at large.

While Polish authorities have not officially identified the victim, Russian and Belarusian opposition media reported that he was a performance artist and cartoonist known for satirical works targeting Russian President Vladimir Putin, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, and former Soviet leader Joseph Stalin.

The artist had been living in exile in Poland since 2021 after leaving Russia because of his opposition activities.