Alexei Navalny, a prominent critic of the Kremlin who vanished after revealing an anti-Putin strategy for the 2024 presidential election, has been confined in a high-security prison colony located in Russia's Arctic region. Concerns arose when his team lost contact with him on December 6.
Navalny, currently facing a 19-year jail sentence, reappeared on December 25 to the relief of his associates. Kira Yarmysh, the spokesperson for the opposition leader, disclosed on Monday that Navalny had been located in the Polar Wolf colony, officially designated as the IK-3 penal colony, situated in Kharp within the Yamal-Nenets region, approximately 1,900 km northwest of Moscow.
In a message conveyed on X, the 47-year-old confirmed his transfer to a penal colony situated north of the Arctic Circle. He reassured supporters, stating, "Don't worry about me. I'm fine. I'm totally relieved that I've finally made it. I'm still in a good mood, as befits a Santa Claus."
Navalny, who has been in the Arctic prison since Saturday, expressed his exhaustion from the 20 days of transportation, detailing the peculiar route taken (Vladimir-Moscow-Chelyabinsk-Ekaterinburg-Kirov-Vorkuta-Kharp). He expressed surprise at being found so soon, mentioning that he expected no one to locate him before mid-January.
During his confinement, Navalny recounted a limited view from his cell, describing a yard with snow-covered ground and observing a convoy reminiscent of movie scenes, equipped with machine guns, warm mittens, felt boots, and fluffy shepherd dogs.
Ivan Zhadov, Navalny's aide, commented that the transfer to a new prison underscored the system's approach to political prisoners, emphasizing isolation and suppression. Navalny's call for Russians to vote against incumbent Vladimir Putin in the upcoming election prompted action from the Kremlin.
Navalny was slated to appear in court in early December but did not. Yarmysh revealed that the last contact from him was on December 5, and attempts by lawyers to visit him in prison were denied. The revelation of his presence in an Arctic prison adds another layer to the challenging circumstances faced by political prisoners in Russia.