Russia plans seven new 'superprisons' despite war recruitment emptying its jails

The Russian government has announced plans to construct seven new large-scale prison complexes by 2035, with a total capacity exceeding 20,000 inmates. One of these facilities is slated for construction in the Russian-occupied Kherson region of Ukraine. The initiative comes as the country's total prison population has experienced a significant decline, falling from 465,000 in 2021 to 282,000.

This reduction in the inmate population is largely attributed to the recruitment of prisoners as contract soldiers for the ongoing war in Ukraine. The simultaneous expansion of prison infrastructure and the depletion of the current inmate population through military service highlights a notable shift in the management of the Russian penal system amidst the current conflict.