“Kholod” published an interview with Ilya Yashin from the colony

Opposition politician Ilya Yashin, who is serving a long term of imprisonment on charges of spreading fakes about the Russian army, gave a long interview from the colony to the “Cold” publication.

Yashin answered the questions in writing. In an interview, he admits that the isolation is difficult and depressing for him, but he claims that he does not regret the decision he made to stay in Russia.

“I don’t know how it is possible to defeat Putin remotely. Let’s say that last spring I ran away somewhere to Europe, started hosting streams there, writing articles, circulating on the forums of “good Russians”… What would be the political weight of my words abroad? After all, the government always speculates on this topic: “foreign agents fled to their masters, broke ties with Russia”… The Kremlin prefers to see its critics as emigrants, not political prisoners. Before imprisoning them, opposition politicians are forced out of the country with all their might. if you resist and categorically refuse to leave. Let’s honestly admit: a significant part of society accepts these arguments, and I’m not ready to ignore it,” wrote Yashin from the colony. He believes that “the political weight of his prison texts is still noticeably greater” than if he “said the same thing from a Paris cafe”. “Honestly: I have never felt as strong as I am now,” sums up Yashin.

The politician also described in detail how FSIN employees and other prisoners treat him in the colony. “During all the time, I have never faced aggression. I have heard words of support both from the convoy and from the guards much more often than I expected. The Chechens especially warmly greet me, who thank me for telling the truth about Kadyrov,” Yashin said. , added that he received almost 15,000 letters of support and gratitude in prison, and this “incredibly motivates and inspires”.

• Ilya Yashin, one of the few opposition politicians who did not leave Russia after the start of the war, was arrested in July last year. The criminal case against him was initiated because of the broadcast on YouTube, in which he talked about the crimes committed by the Russian military in the Ukrainian city of Bucha. On December 9, the Meshchan District Court of Moscow sentenced Yashin to eight and a half years in a general regime colony.