Gennadii Artemenko
58 yr old (born in 26.05.1968)
He is a resident of Dzerzhinsk (the Nizhny Novgorod region). According to Department One, he was attempting to get his mother out of Ukraine, which is why he contacted Ukrainian authorities and spoke with his mother on the phone in Ukrainian. At some point, he began receiving notifications that someone was trying to access his email account. On 18 October 2023, Artemenko was detained and then taken into custody. He was charged with possession of explosives – a support group claims that gunpowder, detonators, blocks of explosive, and an incendiary tube were planted on him during a search. According to Artemenko’s supporters, the photographs were posted on pro-Ukrainian groups on Telegram. Department One notes that Artemenko is a lieutenant colonel in the artillery and missile forces and would be unlikely to store explosives behind a hot radiator, where they were found. After the search, he was taken to an FSB unit, where he was threatened with a case against his wife if he did not cooperate with the investigation. He was also subjected to torture. Artemenko was taken into custody. He was denied access to his lawyer for a week.
In the summer of 2024, Artemenko was charged with treason for photographing military facilities in the interests of the ATESH partisan movement. In October 2024, he was charged with public justification of terrorism for distributing anti-war leaflets in the Nizhny Novgorod region. Artemenko’s phone allegedly contained correspondence with a representative of ATESH, but the prosecution was unable to provide an expert examination of the correspondence at the trial. As evidence for the leaflet-posting charge, the prosecution relied on a video recording which, according to Department One, cannot be used to identify the person or confirm that the leaflet was posted. The intent to possess explosives was not proven in the case.
Department One also notes that, according to the case materials, the words “Glory to Ukraine” and a Ukrainian trident were found on the door at the basement of the apartment building where Artemenko lived. The wife of the defendant stated that the inscription was very recent. She tried to get an expert examination, but it was refused. The case includes a testimony from the apartment building manager who stated that only Artemenko and his wife had access to the basement. Department One claims that she later admitted that, before giving her testimony, she had taken the keys to the basement from another apartment. Artemenko’s family claims that the keys had always been kept by their neighbour.
On 27 June 2025, Artemenko was sentenced to 18 years in a strict regime colony.
Gennadii Artemenko
will receive your letter
How to write the letter?
Getting started
It’s pretty straightforward. Just use the form above. You can choose a specific person from the directory or let Vestochka pick one at random for you.
We might know a lot about some of them, while others might only have a few details like their charges and sentences. Don’t let that stop you — your words can make a big difference, no matter how much information you have!
Some political prisoners are not listed on Vestochka: we may still be editing their profiles, they may have asked not to receive letters, they are being transferred to a new place of imprisonment or are at a place where letters cannot be delivered.
What can I write about?
Imagine you want to get to know someone. Start by introducing yourself — share a bit about who you are, what you enjoy doing, and what you do for work. Use your real name, but if you’re worried about privacy, you can pick a pseudonym.
Don’t kick off your letter with pity or overly comforting lines like «everything will be okay» or «don’t give up.» It’s fine to show you care, but only if the person is looking for that kind of support.
For your first letter, let them know why you’re reaching out. Maybe something about them caught your eye or you feel a connection. If you don’t have much information about them, just ask them to tell you more about themselves.
Share a bit about your own life — like a book you’ve read, something cool you saw on a walk, a movie you watched, or a trip you took. Share your thoughts and experiences. It’s important to give them a sense of your world. Don’t feel bad about living a full life while they’re in a tough spot; sharing your experiences can be really meaningful.
Remember, you’re talking to someone who’s in a tough situation. They have their own thoughts and feelings. Be sensitive and don’t assume what kind of letters they want. It’s best to ask them what they’re interested in and what kind of info they’d like. Some might want news, memes, interesting articles, or social media posts.
Ask questions and listen closely. This helps them open up and share their thoughts and feelings, and it helps you understand them better and connect more.
At the end of your letter, wish them well and make sure to include the date.
On censorship: what can’t I write?
When you send letters or postcards to prisoners, they’re checked by a censor. To make sure your letter gets through, keep these tips in mind:
Don’t write anything that could get the person you’re writing to in trouble. Avoid talking about the person’s criminal case. This could cause problems and might even get your letter sent to investigators. It might also cause distress for a prisoner.
Skip codes, weird symbols, or unknown abbreviations.
Stay away from swearing, insults, threats, or anything that could be seen as illegal, like calls for violence or overthrowing Putin.
Don’t include any erotic or pornographic material.
Don’t mention prison security, staff, or how to sneak in prohibited items.
Avoid making negative comments about authorities or others. Mild political opinions are usually okay.
Sometimes, poems or names might get rejected or censored in certain prisons.
Avoid overtly queer-related topics; prisoners singled out as LGBT+ can get in trouble.
Be careful with military topics: don’t talk about combat, weapons, or casualties.
These rules are just common sense — don’t put anyone in a bad spot. Follow these tips, and your letter should get through. Otherwise, the censor will likely cross out or remove anything they don’t like. Also, avoid discussing anything confidential.
Is it allowed to send photographs?
Yes, it is allowed. You can attach a photograph, drawing, meme or other images to the letter. In most penal colonies and pre-trial detention centres, only black-and-white printers are available, so colour images are printed without colour.
What language do I use in my letter?
Don’t worry if you do not write in Russian — we will translate your letter. We have already translated letters from English, French, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, and Polish. With the help of our volunteers from around the world, we can translate letters from almost every language and make sure they reach their recipient.
Should I expect a reply and do I have to respond?
Maintaining a correspondence is more challenging than writing the first letter. But it would be wonderful if you’re able to write regularly. That way, the inmate will have a companion and someone to talk to. People who write letters consistently recommend setting reminders in their calendars. If you don’t feel up to it — that’s okay too. Even a one-time letter is a meaningful gesture and a valuable source of support.
Sometimes letters can get lost, or they might not be passed on, and the person could be moved to another region. Don’t think the person in prison is upset with you or that the communication isn’t working. Just try writing again.
Don’t start lots of similar conversations just for the sake of it or to «boost the numbers». It’s better to pick one person and focus on building a real connection. Always keep in mind the unique feedback and the relationship that develops between you.
We advise saving a copy of your letter or taking a photo of it so you don’t forget what you wrote last time. It happens. Sometimes a lot of time passes between letters.
How do I maintain the correspondence?
When someone in prison writes you a reply, we’ll send it to you by email along with a transcription and translation. To continue the conversation with Vestochka, follow the instructions in our reply email: find the person in the Vestochka directory, fill out the form again, and send your letter. We cover all the expenses. It is free for you.
How can I send letters myself?
If you want to continue writing without our help, you can use prisonmail.online. It’s a service that accepts non-Russian banking cards, but, unfortunately, not all prisons are working with it.
If you have a Russian banking card, you can send letters using F-Pismo or ZT.
When sending a letter by yourself, you have to provide the region and the number of the prison or pre-trial detention centre, the inmate’s full name and year of birth. You can enter your real phone number or simply any combination of digits. Please make sure to enter the correct details of the person you’re writing to — otherwise, the letter won’t reach them. You can find the inmate’s exact address on our website.
Please note: the reply will come as a scanned handwritten letter in Russian.
How else can I support Russian dissidents?
You can organize letter-writing events in your communities, push your representatives to focus on Russian political prisoners, welcome Russian exiles, donate and follow independent Russian media and NGOs — and much more. Just don’t forget about what is going on in Russia — do not relent and do not look away.
It says that the prisoner I was assigned was tried for terrorism, or extremism or something else scary, what’s up with that?
The Kremlin is using scary labels to justify its repression against innocent people.
Of course, a sentence for terrorism does not necessarily mean that a person is a political prisoner (unlike, for example, a sentence for «spreading fake news about the Russian army»). And yet we can say that there are at least several groupings of political crackdowns using the threat of terror as a pretext to go after innocents.
First, hundreds of people have been sentenced to long terms due to their alleged involvement in the Islamist party of Hizb ut-Tahrir — this is used primarily as a pretext for crackdowns on Crimean Tatars. The party was banned as a terrorist organization, although there is no evidence that it had any connection with terrorist activity in Russia or Crimea.
Second, the article on calls for terrorism or justification of terrorism (Article 205.2 of the Criminal Code) is considered a «terrorist» article, and is increasingly being applied to those who, due to their disagreement with the war, allow themselves to make harsh statements against the Kremlin.
Third, since the beginning of the war, the authorities have begun to regard the arson of military registration and enlistment offices as terrorist attacks, although there has not been a single case of anyone being seriously harmed by these protest arsons.
Finally, there are a number of cases in which terrorist activity, including through falsification of evidence, is attributed to opponents of the Kremlin. This is done in order to reduce their support in society and put them behind bars for a long time. The article on state treason is used in a similar manner.
I have a different question
If you have any questions or run into difficulties, we will be glad to help: write to us at info@vestochka.io. We don’t accept emails from Russian domains (yandex.ru, mail.ru, rambler.ru, etc.), as we can’t safely send replies to them.