ST. PETERSBURG, August 29 (RAPSI) – Konstantin Altunin, the artist who created police-confiscated satirical portraits, including a painting of Russia’s president Vladimir Putin and Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev, has filed an asylum application in France, RIA Novosti reported Thursday.

‘I’ve approached the Paris prefect's office, got a list of documents and certificates necessary for receiving asylum. At the moment I’m in line for one of them (documents),” the agency quoted Altunin as having said. The artist added that he has sent a letter to the president of France asking for his assistance in getting the confiscated paintings back.

Police inspected on Monday the Museum of Authority in St.Petersburg where the paintings were displayed after being informed that the exhibition might violate the Russian laws. Police said Tuesday that Altunin’s paintings were “withdrawn” from the museum following a complaint by lawmaker Vitaly Milonov.

Four paintings were confiscated to be examined by experts.