Russia’s Owl Prison: The Deadly Struggle in -50°C Cold
Russia’s Black Dolphin Prison is infamous for housing some of the most violent and dangerous criminals in the country, many of whom would rather face the death penalty than endure the terrifying conditions inside. Located in the remote and freezing region near the Kazakh border, this prison is a place of unimaginable torment for its inhabitants. Known officially as Penal Colony No. 6, Black Dolphin is home to lifers, including serial killers, cannibals, and terrorists, whose crimes are so horrific that they are locked away in one of Russia’s seven supermax facilities.
The Frozen Hell of Polar Owl Prison
Polar Owl, another of Russia’s notorious prisons, is located even further north, perched within the Arctic Circle. Known for its extreme isolation and frigid temperatures, this prison is a nightmare for anyone sentenced to spend their life behind bars. Temperatures in Polar Owl can dip below -50°C, which is so cold that even polar bears avoid the area. Prisoners are confined to small, freezing cells, where they are forced to endure sub-zero temperatures year-round.
This place is so isolated that the journey to reach it takes days, with prisoners transported by train for over two days, followed by a grueling bus ride. Once there, they are subjected to the harshest conditions imaginable. Prisoners are not allowed to lie down or sit until “lights out” and must spend most of their day standing, which is psychologically torturous. Physical exercise is a rare 90-minute walk in a barren, icy yard with high concrete walls, but even then, they are kept in complete isolation, unable to communicate with each other. The mental toll is as devastating as the physical one.
Famous Inmates and Their Nightmarish Fates
Among the most infamous prisoners at Polar Owl is Alexander Puskin, a serial killer who killed at least 60 people. He was known for his chilling ambition to “fill every box on a chessboard” with his victims. After being sentenced to life in prison, Puskin reportedly said that living in Polar Owl was worse than death. Even hardened criminals like Puskin break down under the oppressive conditions, and many suffer from extreme psychological distress, leading to suicides. Another notable inmate is Hashtur Kulaev, a terrorist responsible for the Beslan school massacre, who also ended up in a tiny, solitary cell with barely enough room to stand or sit.
The Cold, the Torture, and the Psychological Breakdown
Prisoners in Polar Owl are often subjected to intense physical and mental torture. They endure regular beatings, are forced to stand in the freezing cold for extended periods, and suffer from severe isolation. The prison’s management aims to break the spirit of the prisoners, and it often succeeds. Over the years, many prisoners have taken their own lives, unable to withstand the unbearable combination of cold, isolation, and psychological torment.
Prisoners have limited contact with the outside world, with no visitors for the first ten years of their sentence. After that, they can see family members once a year, though many families refuse to visit due to the horrific crimes committed by the inmates. Even the food is meager and the medical care poor, making life inside the prison a daily battle for survival.
Attempts to Escape and Their Consequences
Escaping from Polar Owl is nearly impossible due to the facility’s extreme security. The prison is surrounded by multiple iron fences, layers of iron doors, and heavily armed guards. Even if a prisoner manages to escape, they have no place to go, as the surrounding wilderness is deadly, and the guards and their dogs will relentlessly hunt them down.
One infamous escape attempt was made by Alexander Elistratov, a serial killer nicknamed “The Bloody Taxi Driver.” He managed to escape after three years of imprisonment but was quickly hunted down and severely injured by the guard dogs. He died months later in solitary confinement.
Other Russian Supermax Prisons
In addition to Polar Owl and Black Dolphin, there are other notorious Russian prisons, including Polar Wolf and the White Swan. Polar Wolf is located in a similarly cold and isolated region and is known for its brutal treatment of inmates. White Swan, located in Perm Krai, holds some of Russia’s worst criminals, including mass murderers and Mafia bosses. Inmates here are forced to lean forward with their hands behind their backs, like swans, as they are moved across the prison. This is just one example of the cruel and degrading treatment prisoners endure.
The Ethical Debate: Do They Deserve This Treatment?
The extreme conditions in these prisons raise difficult questions about punishment, human rights, and justice. While many of the criminals housed in these prisons have committed horrific crimes, the question remains whether this level of torment is an appropriate form of punishment. The mental and physical toll on the inmates is immense, and for some, the cold and isolation are too much to bear.
These prisons are often viewed as a form of “living death,” where prisoners are denied any hope of redemption or escape. While they have been sentenced for terrible crimes, the brutal conditions they endure may seem to cross the line from punishment to cruelty. Would death be more humane than a life in these hellish places?
Ultimately, these prisons serve as a chilling reminder of the lengths to which authorities will go to punish those deemed the most dangerous in society, but also highlight the dark reality of life behind bars in some of the most unforgiving environments on Earth.
