January 31, 2024

Aiding Vegan Detainees


Aiding Vegan Detainees
A penitential center in Moscow.  Senate of Russian Federation, Flickr.

Following the start Russia's War on Ukraine, repression within Russia has intensified. Over 800 individuals are facing criminal prosecution for their anti-war stance, including many vegans.

Maintaining a vegan diet is crucial for many of them, even while incarcerated. However, due to the challenges of satisfying such a diet in correctional facilities, this can prove difficult. In response, Marina Yastremskaya founded Vegan Peredachky ("Vegan Care Packages") to ensure vegan prisoners are not isolated and can maintain a nutritious diet without jeopardizing their health.

According to standards set by the Federal Penitentiary Service, detainees are entitled to three daily hot meals consisting of bread, cereals, pasta, meat products, fish, milk, potatoes, eggs, vegetables, and dried fruits. However, there is no distinction between vegetarian or vegan menus, leaving vegan detainees with very limited food options. 

However, persons can donate care packages to detainees – up to about 30 kilograms of products per month can be sent to pre-trial detention centers, and up to 20 kilograms can be sent to penal colonies multiple times per year.

Yastremskaya told a Cherta journalist that she began the project because she recognized the lack of support in this area. A long-time advocate of the vegan lifestyle, she empathizes with the challenges individuals face in prison. 

Presently, the project is helping 11 persons, spending an average of R50,000 ($560) monthly on food packages collected through donations. Vegan Peredachky primarily supports those detained or convicted in political cases. Among them is Ruslan Ushakov, administrator of the Telegram channel Nastoyachee Prestuplenye (Real Crime), who was apprehended in December 2022 on charges of disseminating misinformation, inciting hatred, and promoting Nazism. As reported by OVD-Info, his charges stemmed from posts discussing the shelling of Mariupol and civilian casualties in Ukraine, along with calls for violence against Vladimir Putin and endorsement of the assassination of a pro-Russian administration official in Kherson. Ruslan claimed during his trial that he was subjected to electric shock torture during his arrest.

Despite the limitations of the prison diet, Ruslan remained committed to veganism. "Eating bread and occasionally potatoes sustained me," he told Cherta journalists.

Vegan Peredachky volunteers said that the project is vital not only because not all political detainees have relatives or friends capable of providing food packages, but also because loved ones may find it challenging to donate to vegans, as they may lack familiarity with the dietary restrictions. Meals provided must not only be devoid of animal products but also sufficiently nutritious and have all of one's essential daily nutrients.

"We aim to alleviate the burden of decision-making from the shoulders of loved ones and take it upon ourselves," said volunteer Ekaterina. She said she faced a similar situation when a close relative became a defendant in a political criminal case.

You Might Also Like

Bashkiris Protest
  • January 23, 2024

Bashkiris Protest

Thousands of protesters took to the streets of the Republic of Bashkortostan to support a convicted activist.
Under the All-Seeing Eye
  • January 21, 2024

Under the All-Seeing Eye

The extent of Russia's surveillance may surprise you — and it's only getting more invasive.
The Women with the White Scarves
  • January 08, 2024

The Women with the White Scarves

Family members of drafted soldiers picketed solo in Moscow demanding the return of their loved ones from the war in Ukraine.
Student Sentenced for Spying
  • January 03, 2024

Student Sentenced for Spying

For the first time, Russia has sentenced a student for spying. The 18-year-old was a high-achieving student.
Like this post? Get a weekly email digest + member-only deals

Some of our Books

White Magic
June 01, 2021

White Magic

The thirteen tales in this volume – all written by Russian émigrés, writers who fled their native country in the early twentieth century – contain a fair dose of magic and mysticism, of terror and the supernatural. There are Petersburg revenants, grief-stricken avengers, Lithuanian vampires, flying skeletons, murders and duels, and even a ghostly Edgar Allen Poe.

Driving Down Russia's Spine
June 01, 2016

Driving Down Russia's Spine

The story of the epic Spine of Russia trip, intertwining fascinating subject profiles with digressions into historical and cultural themes relevant to understanding modern Russia. 

A Taste of Chekhov
December 24, 2022

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.

The Little Humpbacked Horse
November 03, 2014

The Little Humpbacked Horse

A beloved Russian classic about a resourceful Russian peasant, Vanya, and his miracle-working horse, who together undergo various trials, exploits and adventures at the whim of a laughable tsar, told in rich, narrative poetry.

A Taste of Russia
November 01, 2012

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.

Woe From Wit (bilingual)
June 20, 2017

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.

Life Stories
September 01, 2009

Life Stories

The Life Stories collection is a nice introduction to contemporary Russian fiction: many of the 19 authors featured here have won major Russian literary prizes and/or become bestsellers. These are life-affirming stories of love, family, hope, rebirth, mystery and imagination, masterfully translated by some of the best Russian-English translators working today. The selections reassert the power of Russian literature to affect readers of all cultures in profound and lasting ways. Best of all, 100% of the profits from the sale of this book are going to benefit Russian hospice—not-for-profit care for fellow human beings who are nearing the end of their own life stories.

The Samovar Murders
November 01, 2019

The Samovar Murders

The murder of a poet is always more than a murder. When a famous writer is brutally stabbed on the campus of Moscow’s Lumumba University, the son of a recently deposed African president confesses, and the case assumes political implications that no one wants any part of.

Jews in Service to the Tsar
October 09, 2011

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.

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