The ‘Polar Wolf’: A Glimpse Into the Harsh Conditions of Russian Penal Colony No. 3
The ‘Polar Wolf’ is the ominous moniker of penal colony no. 3 in the Russian Arctic. The infamous Aleksei Navalny, a staunch adversary of Vladimir Putin, found himself transferred to this harsh detention center in December. Situated in the remote city of Kharp in the Yamalo-Nenetsk autonomous region, the prison is near the coal mines of Vorkuta, which were among the harshest in the Soviet gulag system. The location, nearly 2,000 km away from Moscow, is notorious for its long, brutal winters.
Life in the ‘Polar Wolf’
Navalny’s time in the ‘Polar Wolf’ has been marked by continuous punishments for trivial infractions. As reported by Meduza, Navalny was placed in isolation for 15 days on February 14th, merely three days after his release. This marked his 27th stint in solitary, including 23 previous occurrences at penal colony no. 6 in the village of Melekhovo in the Vladimir region, where he had been held prior to his transfer.
Day-to-Day in Solitary
Navalny’s daily routine in solitary was far from ordinary. He was not allowed to take a walk outdoors during the warmer afternoon hours. Instead, he was forced to venture outside early in the morning when the temperatures were brutally cold. Despite the conditions, Navalny maintained his irony, noting the invigorating nature of a 6:30 am walk in Yamal, while highlighting the small, concrete-fenced courtyard where he was allowed to move. This narrow space, measuring only 11 steps in length and 3 in width, was his only solace, as he shared in a photo post on January 9th.
Unbearable Conditions and Limited Freedom
The ‘Polar Wolf’ and other similar penal colonies differ from maximum-security prisons in several respects. They provide a reduced number of visits, limit the number of packages an inmate can receive, and restrict the amount of money he can spend. These conditions are so severe that human rights lawyers have equated the special regime to legalized torture.
