Vasily wrote on the third anniversary of his arrest, 6 June 2026

“Three years have passed since my arrest, which seems like a fairly significant period of time. Back then, three years ago, the task before me, as before anyone who has been deprived of freedom, was to remain myself, to preserve myself in conditions of unfreedom, and, in the end, simply not to become brutish. So far, I seem to be managing this task, but it would be much more difficult without support from outside. That support, coming to you through letters, parcels, and conversations with my lawyers, greatly increases the chances of preserving oneself and remaining free on the inside. Here I can only repeat what I said in my final statement in February of this year: ‘I thank my family for their steadfastness and understanding, I thank my lawyers for their persistence and courage, I thank my fellow party members — my colleagues from the Yabloko party — for their solidarity, I thank my friends and comrades, as well as people previously unknown to me — everyone who sent words of support, helped in any other way, or simply was with me in thought. I thank everyone who knows which side the truth is on!’ I will emphasize one important word — ‘together.’ Even if we cannot all be next to one another, we are together in any case. Together in thought, together in values, together in our ideas. I am glad that I can write here, grateful for this opportunity, and very glad to be together with you. And, as usual, I ask you to keep up your spirits and not lose optimism: I insist on extreme optimism — not losing it now, in times like these, is perhaps the most important thing. Yours, Vasya N., SIZO-1, St. Petersburg”