Avast, me hearties! This Navalny bloke claims he's merry, despite sufferin' in the dreary 'Polar Wolf' brig. Ahoy!
2023-12-26
Avast, mateys! The scurvy knave, Alexei Navalny, be spillin' the beans 'bout his sorry state at the "Polar Wolf" brig. Aye, 'tis a fearsome den o' rascals, known far 'n wide fer its brutality.
Jailed Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny has been jokingly making light of the harsh conditions he is experiencing in a Siberian penal colony. Navalny, who has been a significant opposition figure against President Vladimir Putin, posted an update about the IK-3 penal colony, also known as "Polar Wolf," where he is currently located. Despite the tough conditions, Navalny humorously referred to himself as the new Santa Claus, mentioning his new sheepskin coat, fur hat, and upcoming traditional Russian winter footwear. He also mentioned growing a beard during his 20-day transportation. The prison, situated above the Arctic Circle, is considered one of the country's most challenging facilities and was founded on the site of a former Soviet gulag forced labor camp. Even though conditions at the prison are described as terrible, Navalny assured his followers that he is fine and expressed gratitude for their support. Human rights defender Igor Kalyapin confirmed the maximum isolation and difficulty in accessing the prison. Navalny has been imprisoned since his return to Russia in 2021 and was sentenced to 19 years in prison on extremism charges. He has previously organized anti-government demonstrations and accused Putin of being responsible for his poisoning in 2020. Ivan Zhadov, an aide to Navalny, criticized the Russian government's treatment of political prisoners, highlighting Navalny's situation as an example.