Russian artist Konstantin Altunin flees country seeking asylum after police seize paintings

Russian artist Konstantin Altunin has left Russia and is now seeking asylum in another country. This development follows the seizure of his paintings by Russian police, who conducted investigations on charges of 'extremism'. Among the confiscated works was a painting depicting President Vladimir Putin and Prime Minister Dmitri Medvedev dressed in women's underwear. The Art Newspaper reported these events, which highlight the artist's response to state actions against his artwork. Altunin's departure represents a significant personal and artistic consequence of the legal pressure he faced. The specific location where he is seeking asylum remains unspecified in the report. The incident underscores tensions between artistic expression and state authority in Russia. Police actions were initiated based on allegations related to the content of his paintings.