Supporters Lose Contact with Russian Political Prisoner Andrey Trofimov After Transfer to Petrozavodsk Colony

Supporters and relatives of Russian political prisoner Andrey (Andrei) Trofimov say they have had no contact with him since mid-April after he was transferred to the strict-regime penal colony IK-9 in Petrozavodsk. Trofimov, 59, is serving what now totals 13 years after convictions on charges including spreading so-called "fakes" about the Russian army, "calls to extremism," and an alleged attempt to join the "Freedom of Russia" legion. Rights groups and family members say the colony has denied visits, refused independent lawyers, and claims by the administration that Trofimov himself renounced contact are contested by his supporters.

Rights defender Olga Romanova, founder of the group "Русь сидящая," called the question of Trofimov's whereabouts and condition "one of the most important questions for all people of goodwill," and warned: "Трофимов – один из самых кристально чистых политических активистов. Нам надо этим заниматься. Он не должен исчезнуть." Memorial, the rights organization that has recognized Trofimov as a political prisoner and included him in its list of those persecuted for anti-war positions, reported the lapse in contact on July 14.

Friends who had been corresponding with Trofimov say their last letters from him arrived in mid-April. Artist and longtime correspondent Maria Bovenko, who lives in France and has exchanged letters with Trofimov since 2022, said that after he arrived in IK-9 he described life in the colony, the rules and a series of disciplinary measures including time in the punishment cell (ШИЗО) and a cell-type room (ПКТ). Bovenko said Trofimov initially wrote about small daily details—clearing snow, the quality of light on the cell wall, and adjusting to colony limits such as having 75% of incoming money transfers deducted.

"He came to this colony, began to get accustomed, to write in his spirit—about daily life, about the sunshine on the wall of the cell," Bovenko said. She added that after a period in ПКТ he still wrote, explaining that letters were delivered for only an hour, but then the correspondence stopped entirely. Relatives at first assumed the silence resulted from another short-term placement in punishment isolation, but weeks passed without any reply. One relative attempted to visit using the state portal "Госуслуги" but was denied entry to the colony. Two independent lawyers dispatched by Trofimov's supporters were likewise refused access.

Relatives and supporters dispute the colony's assertion that Trofimov has a lawyer and refuses all other visits. Bovenko said the claim that "relatives signed an agreement" that Trofimov does not want to see other lawyers is untrue. "У Андрея Николаевича нет адвоката. Однако колония утверждает, что у Трофимова есть защитник, с которыми подписали соглашение родственники, что с другими адвокатами он видеться не хочет и сам не выходит на свидание. Это неправда. У него точно нет адвоката. Это сто процентов," she said. To date, supporters say, an independent lawyer has not secured a meeting with Trofimov.

Relatives also express concern for Trofimov's health. He has diabetes and high blood pressure, and family members do not know whether he continues to receive necessary medications inside IK-9. Investigative reporting by Север.Реалии found that monetary transfers made in Trofimov's name are being credited to his colony account, which rights activists say may be near-certain evidence he remains in IK-9 despite lack of direct communication.

Trofimov, born 16 September 1966, has a long personal and political history documented by friends and family. A Bauman Moscow State Technical University graduate with a red diploma, he worked at NPO Lavochkin on aerospace projects before leaving in 1991 to become a metro train driver in Moscow. He took part in the defense of the Russian White House during the 1991 coup attempt and was active in regular protest marches from 2010, including memorial marches for opposition politician Boris Nemtsov. Rights groups say he was detained and beaten by National Guard officers at protests in 2019.

After the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine, Trofimov posted detailed reports and images about the war and casualties on his VKontakte page; some posts included photographs of destroyed Ukrainian towns and information on Russian military losses, and others contained calls to violence and statements that he wished to fight on Ukraine's side. Authorities detained him at his dacha in Konakovo on 7 May 2022 and charged him initially with public calls to extremism and later with spreading the so-called "fakes" about the army. He did not deny authoring the posts, told the BBC's Russian Service he believed his information reflected reality, and openly rejected the legitimacy of his trial. During his final statement he said, "А для себя я требую максимального срока лишения свободы. Потому что я вас презираю," later shouting "Слава Украине," after which the court closed the proceedings.

On 17 October 2023 the Konakovo city court sentenced Trofimov to ten years in a strict-regime colony; on 6 May 2025 the Second Western District Military Court extended the overall sentence to 13 years. Before his transfer to the Petrozavodsk facility he was held in Tver pretrial detention center (СИЗО-1) and then in the Kresty jail in St. Petersburg. His sister, Darya Trofimova, recalls letters in which he wrote about clearing snow and watching clouds and birds in Karelia and suggested he may have chosen to request placement in that region because of family ties there.

Support networks have filed complaints and appeals with the colony and other authorities and are continuing efforts to send an independent lawyer and to secure confirmation of Trofimov's location and condition. For now, his supporters say, the suspension of all communication, the denial of visits and counsel, and the uncertainty about medical care constitute a serious human rights and due-process problem that demands attention from domestic and international observers.