The Introduction to Incarceration
Following two weeks of solitary confinement in Moscow’s Lefortovo prison, American journalist Evan Gershkovich was transferred to a shared cell, marking his introduction to the rigid, unwritten social codes governing the Russian penitentiary system. Gershkovich, who was detained by the F.S.B. in March 2023 on espionage charges, describes his arrival at cell No. 85 as the start of an education in the survival tactics necessary to navigate a environment where status is determined by specific, often unforgiving, behavioral rules.
The Social Hierarchy of the Cell
Upon entering the cell, Gershkovich was met by his first cellmate, referred to as “Seryoga,” a man detained for illegal weapons trafficking. The encounter immediately highlighted the importance of prison etiquette. Seryoga quickly corrected Gershkovich on two fundamental breaches of protocol: failing to wipe his feet upon entry—a sign of disrespect—and offering a handshake before inquiring about his cellmate’s “article” of the criminal code. In the Russian prison hierarchy, unknowingly shaking hands with an inmate from the lowest caste, such as those convicted of sex offenses, could permanently relegate an individual to the status of petukh, or “rooster,” the lowest rung in the prison social structure.
The Intersection of War and Crime
Seryoga’s presence in Lefortovo illustrates the broader impact of the war in Ukraine on Russia’s prison population. While not a political prisoner, Seryoga found himself detained as part of a government crackdown on black-market weapons networks, intensified by the state’s need to control armaments before the 2022 invasion. His perspective reflects a cynical view of the conflict as a struggle between competing political powers, yet his future remained tied to it. Like many others in the system, Seryoga contemplated enlisting in the Russian military upon his sentencing, viewing it as a desperate alternative to the harsh conditions of a penal colony and a way to potentially provide for his family.
Survival and Routine
The daily life of a prisoner at Lefortovo is defined by a blend of intense monotony and the constant, underlying tension of legal uncertainty. Reading served as a primary distraction, with the prison library offering works ranging from classic literature to contemporary fiction. However, this escapism was frequently interrupted by the sounds of the facility, where a ringing phone or approaching footsteps could trigger anxiety about potential release or further legal developments. For Seryoga and others, the transition from the detention center to the zona—the network of penal work camps—was often viewed with a complex mix of dread and hope, depending on the camp’s reputation and conditions.