Russia’s Penal Systems Foreign Inmate Population Soars Past 30,000

The number of foreign nationals in Russia’s penal system has surpassed 30,000, a development that could further strain the Russia’s prison infrastructure, Sergey Kolyasnikov, head of the Russian Federal Penitentiary Service (FSIN), said on March 12.

Most of these inmates come from CIS countries , a trend observed since 2019.

On December 6, 2023, Russian Justice Minister Konstantin Chuychenko stated that nearly 17,000 foreign nationals were held in Russian correctional facilities, calling the situation “a very big problem,” according to Russian media outlet TASS.

The rise in the prison population has coincided with reports of extremist group activity and increasing radicalization among inmates.

The challenges within Russia’s penal system are compounded by chronic staffing shortages and low wages for FSIN employees, highlighting systemic vulnerabilities.

In corresponding news, former prisoner of war and Ukrainian Marine Vladyslav Zadorin has identified Russian prison guards accused of torturing Ukrainian captives at Kursk Detention Center No. 1.

Zadorin, who was captured on Zmiinyi Island and spent a year in the facility, named four guards involved in the abuse. Their identities were also confirmed by Marian Vatral, a conscript who spent 28 months in the same detention center.