{"id":2167609,"date":"2026-09-28T10:48:15","date_gmt":"2026-09-28T07:48:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=2167609"},"modified":"2026-09-28T10:48:15","modified_gmt":"2026-09-28T07:48:15","slug":"russia-plans-seven-new-superprisons-despite-war-recruitment-emptying-its-jails","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=2167609","title":{"rendered":"Russia plans seven new &#8216;superprisons&#8217; despite war recruitment emptying its jails"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>[analyse_image type=&#8221;featured&#8221; src=&#8221;https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/93\/04\/10\/1200x675_cmsv2_9681a245-19ff-562a-8621-e74ae18fd0ce-9930410.jpg&#8221;]<\/p>\n<article id=\"abe-2929205-pos1-c-latest-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-1 m-modeDesktop-1 m-modeXL-1\" data-nid=\"2929205\" data-cid=\"9930365\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2929205-label-pos1-c-latest-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/93\/03\/65\/189x106_cmsv2_af7ae80c-f823-57e4-ba36-4274d1f991eb-9930365.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"FGSZ Ltd, Hungary&apos;s natural gas transporting company, checks the pressure in the pipelines forwarding natural gas from underground storage facilities, 2009.\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n                    Europe News<\/p>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Euronews explains: Does the EU have enough gas for winter?\n  <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2929294-pos2-c-latest-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-1 m-modeDesktop-1 m-modeXL-1\" data-nid=\"2929294\" data-cid=\"9930783\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2929294-label-pos2-c-latest-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" 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src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/93\/07\/25\/189x106_cmsv2_f99f33b8-6523-5ddf-a36d-4be8431abe94-9930725.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"A drone operator at the Joint Research Center: EU Science Hub, in Geel, Belgium, 2 December, 2025.\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n                    Europe News<\/p>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    EU hybrid response must work \u2018hand in hand\u2019 with NATO, ministers say\n  <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2920046-pos4-c-latest-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-1 m-modeDesktop-1 m-modeXL-1 the-media-object--has-video\" data-nid=\"2920046\" data-cid=\"9886207\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2920046-label-pos4-c-latest-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" 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id=\"abe-2929205-label-pos1-c-latest-stories-sidebar\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/93\/03\/65\/189x106_cmsv2_af7ae80c-f823-57e4-ba36-4274d1f991eb-9930365.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"FGSZ Ltd, Hungary&apos;s natural gas transporting company, checks the pressure in the pipelines forwarding natural gas from underground storage facilities, 2009.\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n                    Europe News<\/p>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Euronews explains: Does the EU have enough gas for winter?\n  <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2929294-pos2-c-latest-stories-sidebar\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-2 m-modeDesktop-2 m-modeXL-2\" data-nid=\"2929294\" data-cid=\"9930783\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2929294-label-pos2-c-latest-stories-sidebar\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/93\/07\/83\/189x106_cmsv2_a1bf2e07-6302-5e76-bda3-6d4955e25f2c-9930783.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Can birdwatching help stroke survivors regain communication skills?\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n                    Health news<\/p>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Can birdwatching help stroke survivors regain communication skills?\n  <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2929272-pos3-c-latest-stories-sidebar\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-2 m-modeDesktop-2 m-modeXL-2\" data-nid=\"2929272\" data-cid=\"9930725\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2929272-label-pos3-c-latest-stories-sidebar\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/93\/07\/25\/189x106_cmsv2_f99f33b8-6523-5ddf-a36d-4be8431abe94-9930725.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"A drone operator at the Joint Research Center: EU Science Hub, in Geel, Belgium, 2 December, 2025.\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n                    Europe News<\/p>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    EU hybrid response must work \u2018hand in hand\u2019 with NATO, ministers say\n  <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2920046-pos4-c-latest-stories-sidebar\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-2 m-modeDesktop-2 m-modeXL-2 the-media-object--has-video\" data-nid=\"2920046\" data-cid=\"9886207\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2920046-label-pos4-c-latest-stories-sidebar\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/88\/62\/07\/189x106_cmsv2_2a83ad5f-e629-5641-b8d0-79aea83ccea7-9886207.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"\u00a9\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><span class=\"c-icon-gallery the-media-object__icon\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/images\/vector\/camera.svg\" width=\"21\" height=\"21\" alt loading=\"lazy\"><\/span><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n                    Smart Regions<\/p>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    L\u012bv\u0101ni: the fibre-optic capital of Latvia\n  <\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__quote\">In partnership with <strong>the European Commission<\/strong><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article class=\"helper-site-row o-article-newsy\">\n<div class=\"helper-site-container o-article-newsy__container\">\n<div class=\"o-article-newsy__main\">\n<header class=\"h-grid o-article-newsy__main__header\">\n<nav aria-label=\"Breadcrumbs\" class=\"c-article-breadcrumbs\">\n<div id=\"adb-article-breadcrumb\" class=\"c-article-breadcrumbs__list\">\n<p>                          News<\/p>\n<p>                          World<\/p>\n<p>                          Russia<\/p><\/div>\n<\/nav>\n<h1 class=\"c-article-redesign-title\">\n                            Russia plans seven new &#8216;superprisons&#8217; despite war recruitment emptying its jails<\/h1>\n<div class=\"c-article-image-video u-position-relative \">\n<div class=\"js-superdiv u-aspect-ratio-16x9 u-position-relative \" data-controller=\"video-player\" data-sponsored=\"Partner content\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"js-poster-img c-article-media__img\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/93\/04\/10\/1536x864_cmsv2_9681a245-19ff-562a-8621-e74ae18fd0ce-9930410.jpg\" width=\"1536\" height=\"864\" loading=\"eager\" alt=\"FILE: Prisoners under escort leave prison to work at a prison colony in Krasnoyarsk, 20 December 2013\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"c-article-caption u-position-absolute\"><i id=\"article-caption-content\" class=\"c-article-caption__content\"><span class=\"c-article-caption__text\"><br \/>\n              FILE: Prisoners under escort leave prison to work at a prison colony in Krasnoyarsk, 20 December 2013<br \/>\n                    <span class=\"u-color-white\">&#8211;\u00a0<\/span><span class=\"c-article-caption__copyright\">Copyright\u00a0<\/span><span class=\"c-article-caption__credit\">AP Photo<\/span><\/span><\/i><\/div>\n<div class=\"c-article-image-copyright c-article-image-copyright--novideo\">\n      Copyright\u00a0AP Photo\n  <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/header>\n<div class=\"h-grid o-article-newsy__main__body u-article-content\">\n<div class=\"o-article-newsy__contributors-publication-date\">\n<div class=\"c-article-contributors\">\n  By&amp;nbspIrina Belikova&amp;nbsp&amp;&amp;nbsp<b>Euronews Russian<\/b><\/div>\n<div class=\"c-article-publication-date\" data-timestamp=\"1790592495\">\n         Published on<br \/>\n            <time datetime=\"2026-09-28 12:48:15 +02:00\">28\/09\/2026 &#8211; 12:48 GMT+2<\/time><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-article-share-comment u-align-items-center u-display-flex\"><span class=\"c-article-share-comment__links u-align-items-center u-display-flex u-justify-content-center js-c-article-share-comment-share\"><span class=\"c-article-share-comment__label\">Share<\/span><\/span><span class=\"c-article-share-comment__label\">Comments<\/span><span class=\"c-article-share-comment__label c-article-share-comment__label--always\">Add Euronews on Google<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"c-article-share-comment-popup-overlay js-c-article-share-comment-popup-overlay u-display-none\">\n<div id=\"js-c-article-share-comment-popup\" class=\"c-article-share-comment-popup js-c-article-share-comment-popup\">\n<div class=\"c-article-share-comment-popup__header u-display-flex\"><span>Share<\/span><img decoding=\"async\" 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class=\"u-display-flex u-gap-1 u-show-for-mobile-only\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/vector\/social-icons\/article-redesign-bluesky.svg\" width=\"24\" height=\"24\" alt=\"bluesky\" loading=\"lazy\"><span>Bluesky<\/span><\/span><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/vector\/social-icons\/article-redesign-bluesky.svg\" width=\"48\" height=\"48\" alt=\"bluesky\" class=\"u-show-for-desktop\" loading=\"lazy\"><span class=\"u-display-flex u-gap-1 u-show-for-mobile-only\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/vector\/social-icons\/article-redesign-threads.svg\" width=\"24\" height=\"24\" alt=\"threads\" loading=\"lazy\"><span>Threads<\/span><\/span><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/vector\/social-icons\/article-redesign-threads.svg\" width=\"48\" height=\"48\" alt=\"threads\" class=\"u-show-for-desktop\" loading=\"lazy\"><span class=\"u-display-flex u-gap-1 u-show-for-mobile-only\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/vector\/social-icons\/article-redesign-whatsapp.svg\" width=\"24\" height=\"24\" alt=\"whatsapp\" loading=\"lazy\"><span>Whatsapp<\/span><\/span><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/vector\/social-icons\/article-redesign-whatsapp.svg\" width=\"48\" height=\"48\" alt=\"whatsapp\" class=\"u-show-for-desktop\" loading=\"lazy\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<h2 class=\"c-article-summary\">\n        Seven complexes holding more than 20,000 inmates are planned for 2035, including one in Russian-occupied Kherson, even as the prison population has dropped from 465,000 to 282,000 since 2021, largely because inmates have been recruited as contract soldiers for the war in Ukraine.<br \/>\n    <\/h2>\n<div class=\"c-article-content js-article-content\">\n<p>Russia plans to build seven large prison complexes by 2035 that will house both remand centres and penitentiary colonies, under a government decree amending the federal programme for the development of the penal system.<\/p>\n<div>\n<div class=\"c-ad u-show-for-mobile-only\">\n<div class=\"c-ad__placeholder\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"c-ad__placeholder__logo\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/logos\/logo-euronews-stacked-outlined-72x72-grey-9.svg\" width=\"72\" height=\"72\" alt loading=\"lazy\"><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-ad u-show-for-desktop\">\n<div class=\"c-ad__placeholder\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"c-ad__placeholder__logo\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/logos\/logo-euronews-stacked-outlined-72x72-grey-9.svg\" width=\"72\" height=\"72\" alt loading=\"lazy\"><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>The facilities, which Russian journalists have called &#8220;superprisons,&#8221; will together hold more than 20,000 people, 5,380 on remand and 15,120 convicted prisoners. <\/p>\n<p>They will also include courtrooms and offices for prosecutors, defence lawyers and public monitoring commissions. The government plans to use surveillance and security technology throughout.<\/p>\n<p>The complexes are planned for the Kaluga, Astrakhan and Tyumen regions, Buryatia and Zabaikalsky Krai, and the part of Ukraine&#8217;s Kherson region currently under Russian military occupation. <\/p>\n<p>The first facility is due to open in Tatarstan by 2030. Preliminary estimates put the cost of a single complex at between 13 billion and 20 billion roubles (\u20ac134 million and \u20ac208 million), with the total programme cost expected to exceed 230 billion roubles (\u20ac2.4 billion), according to Russian media reports.<\/p>\n<p>Russia&#8217;s Justice Ministry says consolidating remand and penal functions in single facilities will cut the cost of holding prisoners by 25\u201330% and allow the investment to pay for itself within 10 years, mainly by eliminating prisoner transfer costs and reducing staffing requirements.<\/p>\n<p>The planned construction follows a sharp fall in the prison population. At the end of 2021, Russia held 465,000 people in detention but by 2026, that figure had dropped to 282,000 \u2014 a decline of nearly 40%. <\/p>\n<p>Head of the Federal Penitentiary Service Arkady Gostev said in May that recruitment of prisoners as contract soldiers for Russia&#8217;s war in Ukraine had contributed significantly to the reduction. <\/p>\n<p>The recruitment of inmates began in the summer of 2022 \u2014 right after Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February of the same year \u2014 initially through the Kremlin-run paramilitary Wagner Group and later through the Defence Ministry directly.<\/p>\n<p>Law experts have criticised the plans. They said internal rules at the new facilities were likely to remain unchanged or become more restrictive, and that relocating prisons from city centres to remote sites \u2014 particularly in Buryatia and Zabaikalsky Krai \u2014 would make it substantially harder for relatives, human rights activists and legal representatives to reach those held inside.<\/p>\n<h2>Torture of inmates prevalent<\/h2>\n<p>Russia&#8217;s prison system has faced persistent criticism from international human rights bodies for conditions that fall below international standards. <\/p>\n<p>The UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights in Russia found in a 2025 report that torture remained &#8220;systematic and widespread,&#8221; with 258 documented cases in 2024-2025. Common methods documented included electric shocks, beatings and mock executions. <\/p>\n<p>The UN Human Rights Council, following a universal periodic review of Russia in 2024, called on Moscow to make torture a standalone criminal offence, strengthen investigation of reported cases and align its legal framework with the UN Convention Against Torture. Russia rejected the majority of those recommendations.<\/p>\n<p>Human Rights Watch documented in 2024 that Russian authorities tortured suspects detained in connection with the Crocus City Hall attack near Moscow in March of that year, recorded the sessions and circulated the footage. <\/p>\n<p>An OSCE monitoring mission found conditions in Russian detention facilities frequently included overcrowding, unsanitary facilities, inadequate food and medical care, and forced labour.<\/p>\n<p>Alexei Navalny died in February 2024 in a remote Arctic penal colony where he was serving a 19-year sentence. The prison was reported by Russian independent media as known for harsh conditions and alleged torture.<\/p>\n<p>Russia formally withdrew from the European Convention for the Prevention of Torture in September 2025 following its expulsion from the Council of Europe, ending monitoring visits to Russian prisons by European inspectors. <\/p>\n<p>The UN Special Rapporteur also documented a revival of punitive psychiatry, including the use of compulsory psychiatric treatment as a sentencing tool against those prosecuted for anti-war expression.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>                                  Go to accessibility shortcuts<\/p>\n<div class=\"c-article-share-comment u-align-items-center u-display-flex\"><span class=\"c-article-share-comment__links u-align-items-center u-display-flex u-justify-content-center js-c-article-share-comment-share\"><span class=\"c-article-share-comment__label\">Share<\/span><\/span><span class=\"c-article-share-comment__label\">Comments<\/span><span class=\"c-article-share-comment__label c-article-share-comment__label--always\">Add Euronews on Google<\/span><\/div>\n<div id=\"adb-article-you-might-also-like\" class=\"perf-cv-auto c-article-you-might-also-like\">\n<h2 class=\"c-article-you-might-also-like__title\">\n        Read more<br \/>\n      <\/h2>\n<div class=\"c-article-you-might-also-like__item\">\n<h3>\n<p>                  Russia quietly modernises bomb shelters in Moscow and St Petersburg<\/p>\n<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-article-you-might-also-like__item\">\n<h3>\n<p>                  Russians abroad voted eight to one against Putin&#8217;s party, defying official results<\/p>\n<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-article-you-might-also-like__item\">\n<h3>\n<p>                  Putin&#8217;s United Russia party wins record 355 parliament seats, election chief says<\/p>\n<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"perf-cv-auto\">\n<ul id=\"adb-article-tags\" class=\"c-tags-list\">\n<li class=\"c-tags-list__item\">\n<section class=\"tc-cta\" data-twig-component=\"Cta-default\">\n  Punishment<br \/>\n<\/section>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"c-tags-list__item\">\n<section class=\"tc-cta\" data-twig-component=\"Cta-default\">\n  Russia<br \/>\n<\/section>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"c-tags-list__item\">\n<section class=\"tc-cta\" data-twig-component=\"Cta-default\">\n  War in Ukraine<br \/>\n<\/section>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"c-tags-list__item\">\n<section class=\"tc-cta\" data-twig-component=\"Cta-default\">\n  Jail<br \/>\n<\/section>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tp-vuukle\">\n<div class=\"c-vuukle-skeleton\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n<div class=\"c-vuukle-skeleton__header\"><span class=\"c-vuukle-skeleton__title\">Comments<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<aside class=\"o-article-newsy__aside\">\n<div class=\"c-ad-wrapper o-article-newsy__aside__content-1\" data-ad-name=\"adzone-halfpage\">\n<div class=\"c-ad c-ad-halfpage u-show-for-desktop\">\n<div class=\"c-ad__placeholder\"><img 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id=\"abe-2929248-label-pos2-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/93\/05\/43\/320x180_cmsv2_6cd81fd7-c489-5226-8667-19b3ff590769-9930543.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Ukraine has identified a shortfall in the Ministry of Defence.\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Ukraine turns to allies after it cuts funding gap to $20bn<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-top-stories__item\">\n<article id=\"abe-2929202-pos3-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-2 m-modeDesktop-2 m-modeXL-2 the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2929202\" data-cid=\"9930319\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2929202-label-pos3-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/93\/03\/19\/320x180_cmsv2_0c6b67e6-602b-50c4-93c1-3dd90f0b5ec5-9930319.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Pope Leo XIV is congratulated by French President Emmanuel Macron, left, after his speech at the meeting At the Roots of Europe for Peace and Unity with, 28 September 2026.\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Pope urges Europe to defend multilateralism as global order crumbles<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-top-stories__item\">\n<article id=\"abe-2929208-pos4-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-2 m-modeDesktop-2 m-modeXL-2 the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2929208\" data-cid=\"9930368\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2929208-label-pos4-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/93\/03\/68\/320x180_cmsv2_99adb2f6-3185-529d-b3df-1b911e30bc41-9930368.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas in Brussels on 28 September 2026.\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Increased Russian sabotage attempts prompts EU response<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-top-stories__item\">\n<article id=\"abe-2929115-pos5-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-2 m-modeDesktop-2 m-modeXL-2 the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2929115\" data-cid=\"9929850\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2929115-label-pos5-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/92\/98\/50\/320x180_cmsv2_19bea4f1-11dd-5469-b89e-dc2c22cbc990-9929850.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"South Korean President Lee Jae Myung addresses the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly at U.N. headquarters Tuesday, Sept. 22, 2026\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Seoul demands apology after Kyiv reveals transfer of North Korean POWs<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-top-stories__item\">\n<article id=\"abe-2928630-pos6-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-2 m-modeDesktop-2 m-modeXL-2 the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2928630\" data-cid=\"9927900\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2928630-label-pos6-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/92\/79\/00\/320x180_cmsv2_67f2150a-de50-57bf-8308-016dabc65737-9927900.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"A BYD electric vehicle charges at a dealership in Camacari, Bahia state, Brazil, Friday, March 7, 2025. \" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    How old EV batteries could transform Europe\u2019s struggling energy grid<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"perf-cv-auto c-ad-wrapper o-article-newsy__aside__content-2\" data-ad-name=\"adzone-halfpage\">\n<div class=\"c-ad c-ad-halfpage u-show-for-desktop\">\n<div class=\"c-ad__placeholder\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"c-ad__placeholder__logo\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/logos\/logo-euronews-stacked-outlined-72x72-grey-9.svg\" width=\"72\" height=\"72\" alt><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-ad u-show-for-mobile-only\">\n<div class=\"c-ad__placeholder\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"c-ad__placeholder__logo\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/logos\/logo-euronews-stacked-outlined-72x72-grey-9.svg\" width=\"72\" height=\"72\" alt><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"perf-cv-auto c-most-viewed\">\n<h2 class=\"c-most-viewed__title qa-section-title\">Most read<\/h2>\n<div class=\"c-most-viewed__list\">\n<div class=\"c-most-viewed__item\"><span class=\"c-most-viewed__item__number\">1<\/span><\/p>\n<article id=\"abe-2929001-pos1-mostViewed\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-3 m-modeDesktop-3 m-modeXL-3 the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2929001\" data-cid=\"9929499\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Poland and Lithuania preparing cross-border evacuation plan<br \/>\n  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reveals transfer of North Korean POWs<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-most-viewed__item\"><span class=\"c-most-viewed__item__number\">4<\/span><\/p>\n<article id=\"abe-2929005-pos4-mostViewed\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-3 m-modeDesktop-3 m-modeXL-3 the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2929005\" data-cid=\"9929459\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    EU tells capitals to cut gas demand amid rising supply concerns<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-most-viewed__item\"><span class=\"c-most-viewed__item__number\">5<\/span><\/p>\n<article id=\"abe-2928893-pos5-mostViewed\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-3 m-modeDesktop-3 m-modeXL-3 the-media-object--has-video the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2928893\" data-cid=\"9929054\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Etna erupts again: chaos at Catania airport, risk of higher air fares<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"perf-cv-auto c-ad-wrapper o-article-newsy__aside__content-3\" data-ad-name=\"adzone-halfpage\">\n<div class=\"c-ad c-ad-halfpage u-show-for-desktop\">\n<div class=\"c-ad__placeholder\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"c-ad__placeholder__logo\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/logos\/logo-euronews-stacked-outlined-72x72-grey-9.svg\" width=\"72\" height=\"72\" alt><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-ad u-show-for-mobile-only\">\n<div class=\"c-ad__placeholder\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"c-ad__placeholder__logo\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/logos\/logo-euronews-stacked-outlined-72x72-grey-9.svg\" width=\"72\" height=\"72\" alt><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2929248-pos2-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-2 m-modeDesktop-2 m-modeXL-2 the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2929248\" data-cid=\"9930543\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2929248-label-pos2-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/93\/05\/43\/320x180_cmsv2_6cd81fd7-c489-5226-8667-19b3ff590769-9930543.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Ukraine has identified a shortfall in the Ministry of Defence.\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Ukraine turns to allies after it cuts funding gap to $20bn<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2929202-pos3-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-2 m-modeDesktop-2 m-modeXL-2 the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2929202\" data-cid=\"9930319\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2929202-label-pos3-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/93\/03\/19\/320x180_cmsv2_0c6b67e6-602b-50c4-93c1-3dd90f0b5ec5-9930319.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Pope Leo XIV is congratulated by French President Emmanuel Macron, left, after his speech at the meeting At the Roots of Europe for Peace and Unity with, 28 September 2026.\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Pope urges Europe to defend multilateralism as global order crumbles<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2929208-pos4-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-2 m-modeDesktop-2 m-modeXL-2 the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2929208\" data-cid=\"9930368\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2929208-label-pos4-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/93\/03\/68\/320x180_cmsv2_99adb2f6-3185-529d-b3df-1b911e30bc41-9930368.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas in Brussels on 28 September 2026.\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Increased Russian sabotage attempts prompts EU response<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2929115-pos5-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-2 m-modeDesktop-2 m-modeXL-2 the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2929115\" data-cid=\"9929850\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2929115-label-pos5-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/92\/98\/50\/320x180_cmsv2_19bea4f1-11dd-5469-b89e-dc2c22cbc990-9929850.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"South Korean President Lee Jae Myung addresses the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly at U.N. headquarters Tuesday, Sept. 22, 2026\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Seoul demands apology after Kyiv reveals transfer of North Korean POWs<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2928630-pos6-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-2 m-modeDesktop-2 m-modeXL-2 the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2928630\" data-cid=\"9927900\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2928630-label-pos6-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/92\/79\/00\/320x180_cmsv2_67f2150a-de50-57bf-8308-016dabc65737-9927900.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"A BYD electric vehicle charges at a dealership in Camacari, Bahia state, Brazil, Friday, March 7, 2025. \" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    How old EV batteries could transform Europe\u2019s struggling energy grid<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2929001-pos1-mostViewed\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-3 m-modeDesktop-3 m-modeXL-3 the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2929001\" data-cid=\"9929499\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Poland and Lithuania preparing cross-border evacuation plan<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2929038-pos2-mostViewed\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-3 m-modeDesktop-3 m-modeXL-3 the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2929038\" data-cid=\"9929678\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    IRGC claims, US denies seizure of underwater US drone in Hormuz<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2929115-pos3-mostViewed\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-3 m-modeDesktop-3 m-modeXL-3 the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2929115\" data-cid=\"9929850\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Seoul demands apology after Kyiv reveals transfer of North Korean POWs<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2929005-pos4-mostViewed\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-3 m-modeDesktop-3 m-modeXL-3 the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2929005\" data-cid=\"9929459\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    EU tells capitals to cut gas demand amid rising supply concerns<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2928893-pos5-mostViewed\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-3 m-modeDesktop-3 m-modeXL-3 the-media-object--has-video the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2928893\" data-cid=\"9929054\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Etna erupts again: chaos at Catania airport, risk of higher air fares<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<div class=\"articleBody\" data-key=\"articleBody\">Russia plans to build seven large prison complexes by 2035 that will house both remand centres and penitentiary colonies, under a government decree amending the federal programme for the development of the penal system.The facilities, which Russian journalists have called &#8220;superprisons,&#8221; will together hold more than 20,000 people, 5,380 on remand and 15,120 convicted prisoners.They will also include courtrooms and offices for prosecutors, defence lawyers and public monitoring commissions. The government plans to use surveillance and security technology throughout.The complexes are planned for the Kaluga, Astrakhan and Tyumen regions, Buryatia and Zabaikalsky Krai, and the part of Ukraine&#8217;s Kherson region currently under Russian military occupation.The first facility is due to open in Tatarstan by 2030. Preliminary estimates put the cost of a single complex at between 13 billion and 20 billion roubles (\u20ac134 million and \u20ac208 million), with the total programme cost expected to exceed 230 billion roubles (\u20ac2.4 billion), according to Russian media reports.Russia&#8217;s Justice Ministry says consolidating remand and penal functions in single facilities will cut the cost of holding prisoners by 25\u201330% and allow the investment to pay for itself within 10 years, mainly by eliminating prisoner transfer costs and reducing staffing requirements.The planned construction follows a sharp fall in the prison population. At the end of 2021, Russia held 465,000 people in detention but by 2026, that figure had dropped to 282,000 \u2014 a decline of nearly 40%.Head of the Federal Penitentiary Service Arkady Gostev said in May that recruitment of prisoners as contract soldiers for Russia&#8217;s war in Ukraine had contributed significantly to the reduction.The recruitment of inmates began in the summer of 2022 \u2014 right after Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February of the same year \u2014 initially through the Kremlin-run paramilitary Wagner Group and later through the Defence Ministry directly.Law experts have criticised the plans. They said internal rules at the new facilities were likely to remain unchanged or become more restrictive, and that relocating prisons from city centres to remote sites \u2014 particularly in Buryatia and Zabaikalsky Krai \u2014 would make it substantially harder for relatives, human rights activists and legal representatives to reach those held inside.Torture of inmates prevalentRussia&#8217;s prison system has faced persistent criticism from international human rights bodies for conditions that fall below international standards.The UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights in Russia found in a 2025 report that torture remained &#8220;systematic and widespread,&#8221; with 258 documented cases in 2024-2025. Common methods documented included electric shocks, beatings and mock executions.The UN Human Rights Council, following a universal periodic review of Russia in 2024, called on Moscow to make torture a standalone criminal offence, strengthen investigation of reported cases and align its legal framework with the UN Convention Against Torture. Russia rejected the majority of those recommendations.Human Rights Watch documented in 2024 that Russian authorities tortured suspects detained in connection with the Crocus City Hall attack near Moscow in March of that year, recorded the sessions and circulated the footage.An OSCE monitoring mission found conditions in Russian detention facilities frequently included overcrowding, unsanitary facilities, inadequate food and medical care, and forced labour.Alexei Navalny died in February 2024 in a remote Arctic penal colony where he was serving a 19-year sentence. The prison was reported by Russian independent media as known for harsh conditions and alleged torture.Russia formally withdrew from the European Convention for the Prevention of Torture in September 2025 following its expulsion from the Council of Europe, ending monitoring visits to Russian prisons by European inspectors.The UN Special Rapporteur also documented a revival of punitive psychiatry, including the use of compulsory psychiatric treatment as a sentencing tool against those prosecuted for anti-war expression.<\/div>\n<p>[analyse_source url=&#8221;https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/2026\/09\/28\/russia-plans-seven-new-superprisons-despite-war-recruitment-emptying-its-jails&#8221;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>[analyse_image type=&#8221;featured&#8221; src=&#8221;https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/93\/04\/10\/1200x675_cmsv2_9681a245-19ff-562a-8621-e74ae18fd0ce-9930410.jpg&#8221;] Europe News Euronews explains: Does the EU have enough gas for winter? 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