August M
Russian authorities have established a separate prison barracks in the far eastern Kolyma region specifically for inmates convicted on politically related charges, according to reporting by The Moscow Times cited by United24 Media.
The development has drawn renewed attention to Russia’s treatment of anti-war critics and revived comparisons to the Soviet-era prison system once centered in the same remote region, reports United24Media.
Separate prison unit
The new facility is located inside Correctional Colony No. 3 in Magadan and reportedly houses up to 120 prisoners convicted under laws tied to anti-war speech, criticism of the military, or alleged justification of terrorism.
According to the report, detainees in the unit are kept fully isolated from the broader prison population and treated as a separate security category.
Most inmates are reportedly not long-time political activists but ordinary citizens, including retirees, doctors, public employees, advertisers, business owners, and media workers.
Many were convicted over social media posts, private conversations, or public comments related to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Harsh conditions
Prisoners inside the specialized barracks reportedly face severe living conditions, including cold temperatures, damp facilities, and restricted access to healthcare.
The report states that detainees are allowed to bathe only once a week and are prohibited from sitting on their beds during daytime hours.
Violations can reportedly result in immediate disciplinary isolation.
Inmates allegedly receive inadequate clothing for the region’s extreme climate, with winter coats withheld until late autumn despite freezing temperatures arriving much earlier.
Families are also reportedly limited to sending care packages once every two months.
Speech-related convictions
Several prisoners in the barracks were reportedly sentenced over verbal statements or online activity rather than violent acts.
One inmate allegedly received a seven-year sentence for a social media post aimed at the Russian president.
Another was convicted over comments made online while intoxicated, while a third reportedly received five years in prison after an acquaintance informed authorities about a private conversation concerning the war in Ukraine.
The Moscow Times reported that medical care and access to essential medications inside the colony remain severely limited.
Echoes of Soviet past
The location of the prison in Kolyma carries major historical significance in Russia.
During Joseph Stalin’s rule, the region became one of the most feared parts of the Soviet Gulag system, where political prisoners and forced laborers were sent to remote mining camps under brutal conditions.
Historians estimate hundreds of thousands of detainees passed through Magadan and nearby camps between the 1930s and 1950s.
The prison expansion comes as Russia’s overall prison population has declined sharply during the war in Ukraine.
Federal Penitentiary Service chief Arkady Gostev recently said inmate numbers had fallen partly because prisoners were being recruited for military service and because of increased use of non-custodial punishments.
Sources: United24 Media, The Moscow Times
