April 03, 2024

A Magazine for Prisoners


A Magazine for Prisoners
February issue of Prison Bulletin. Pyotr Losev, Telegram.

Amidst Russia's surge of political imprisonments in Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, IT specialist Pyotr Losev embarked on a mission to address keep political detainees better informed, by launching Tyuremny Vestnik (Prison Bulletin). This periodical provides support and insight to those incarcerated for political reasons.

It was witnessing an acquaintance's imprisonment on political grounds in 2022 prompted Losev to conceive a platform that could provide solace and connection to those behind bars.

In an interview with journalists from the independent outlet Vazhnye Istory, Losev emphasized the importance of bridging the information gap for detainees. He outlined the publication's focus on delivering contextual updates rather than reiterating global events readily available in media.

"I experimented with the concept while corresponding with the detained CEO of an IT firm, purportedly charged with treason. I condensed monthly events into summaries, from the ongoing war to trending topics like NFT market fluctuations, and Gosling-Ken memes. According to him, this was what he needed," Losev said.

Losev and his team of volunteers produce Tyuremny Vestnik once a month month. Each edition features cover art depicting significant events from the preceding month, accompanied by approximately 50 concise news items, highlights from the Russian Twitter-sphere, columns from political prisoners or journalists, and excerpts from reader letters.

Navigating strict prison censorship necessitates coded language. Avoiding sensitive terms that may trigger censorship, Losev employs juxtaposition and innuendo to convey meaningful messages. Despite these precautions, only one-third of the printed copies consistently reach their intended recipients, Losev said.

The publication primarily targets lesser-known political detainees who may lack substantial support networks. "There are many people who have never been interested in politics before. They came out with some kind of poster, wrote a comment in Odnoklassniki, and they were thrown into jail," Losev said.

Currently, Tyuremny Vestnik maintains a database of approximately 1000 political prisoners, yet financial constraints limit its distribution to 250 to 300 individuals. Financial limitations also pose a challenge to expanding print runs, but Losev is optimistic about securing sponsorships to broaden the project's reach and aid more political detainees.

You Might Also Like

Facing Up
  • March 26, 2024

Facing Up

"Faces of the Russian Resistance" is a traveling art project that humanizes dissent in Russia.
Words from Behind the Glass Box
  • March 04, 2024

Words from Behind the Glass Box

A playwright and a theater director were arrested for a play criticizing ISIS. After months in jail, they spoke from their defendants' glass box.
A Mathematician in Prison. Again
  • February 28, 2024

A Mathematician in Prison. Again

Political prisoner Azat Miftakhov was arrested on charges of "justifying terrorism" immediately after being freed.
Aiding Vegan Detainees
  • January 31, 2024

Aiding Vegan Detainees

A nonprofit is assisting vegan political detainees by offering animal-product-free provisions.
Like this post? Get a weekly email digest + member-only deals

Some of Our Books

At the Circus (bilingual)

At the Circus (bilingual)

This wonderful novella by Alexander Kuprin tells the story of the wrestler Arbuzov and his battle against a renowned American wrestler. Rich in detail and characterization, At the Circus brims with excitement and life. You can smell the sawdust in the big top, see the vivid and colorful characters, sense the tension build as Arbuzov readies to face off against the American.
Okudzhava Bilingual

Okudzhava Bilingual

Poems, songs and autobiographical sketches by Bulat Okudzhava, the king of the Russian bards. 
The Moscow Eccentric

The Moscow Eccentric

Advance reviewers are calling this new translation "a coup" and "a remarkable achievement." This rediscovered gem of a novel by one of Russia's finest writers explores some of the thorniest issues of the early twentieth century.
Jews in Service to the Tsar

Jews in Service to the Tsar

Benjamin Disraeli advised, “Read no history: nothing but biography, for that is life without theory.” With Jews in Service to the Tsar, Lev Berdnikov offers us 28 biographies spanning five centuries of Russian Jewish history, and each portrait opens a new window onto the history of Eastern Europe’s Jews, illuminating dark corners and challenging widely-held conceptions about the role of Jews in Russian history.
Woe From Wit (bilingual)

Woe From Wit (bilingual)

One of the most famous works of Russian literature, the four-act comedy in verse Woe from Wit skewers staid, nineteenth century Russian society, and it positively teems with “winged phrases” that are essential colloquialisms for students of Russian and Russian culture.
A Taste of Russia

A Taste of Russia

The definitive modern cookbook on Russian cuisine has been totally updated and redesigned in a 30th Anniversary Edition. Layering superbly researched recipes with informative essays on the dishes' rich historical and cultural context, A Taste of Russia includes over 200 recipes on everything from borshch to blini, from Salmon Coulibiac to Beef Stew with Rum, from Marinated Mushrooms to Walnut-honey Filled Pies. A Taste of Russia shows off the best that Russian cooking has to offer. Full of great quotes from Russian literature about Russian food and designed in a convenient wide format that stays open during use.
A Taste of Chekhov

A Taste of Chekhov

This compact volume is an introduction to the works of Chekhov the master storyteller, via nine stories spanning the last twenty years of his life.
Fish: A History of One Migration

Fish: A History of One Migration

This mesmerizing novel from one of Russia’s most important modern authors traces the life journey of a selfless Russian everywoman. In the wake of the Soviet breakup, inexorable forces drag Vera across the breadth of the Russian empire. Facing a relentless onslaught of human and social trials, she swims against the current of life, countering adversity and pain with compassion and hope, in many ways personifying Mother Russia’s torment and resilience amid the Soviet disintegration.
Steppe / Степь (bilingual)

Steppe / Степь (bilingual)

This is the work that made Chekhov, launching his career as a writer and playwright of national and international renown. Retranslated and updated, this new bilingual edition is a super way to improve your Russian.
Bears in the Caviar

Bears in the Caviar

Bears in the Caviar is a hilarious and insightful memoir by a diplomat who was “present at the creation” of US-Soviet relations. Charles Thayer headed off to Russia in 1933, calculating that if he could just learn Russian and be on the spot when the US and USSR established relations, he could make himself indispensable and start a career in the foreign service. Remarkably, he pulled it of.
Dostoyevsky Bilingual

Dostoyevsky Bilingual

Bilingual series of short, lesser known, but highly significant works that show the traditional view of Dostoyevsky as a dour, intense, philosophical writer to be unnecessarily one-sided. 

About Us

Russian Life is a publication of a 30-year-young, award-winning publishing house that creates a bimonthly magazine, books, maps, and other products for Russophiles the world over.

Latest Posts

Our Contacts

Russian Life
73 Main Street, Suite 402
Montpelier VT 05602

802-223-4955