Another Resident of Crimea — Artem Gerasimov — Has Been Released. He Spent 6 Years in a Penal Colony

On June 3, 2026, 41-year-old Artem Gerasimov was released having fully served his sentence. Friends met him outside penal colony No. 12 for the Rostov Region.

"It's hard even to imagine that millions of people around the world were praying for me. Just realizing that was a huge support to me," said Artem, reflecting on his 6 years in prison.

In the penal colony, Artem first worked in the sewing workshop, making medical gowns, rubberized suits and masks. Later, he worked in a workshop producing metal scouring pads. For his diligence, the believer received commendations in the form of awards and extra parcel allowances.

Artem tried to get along with prison staff and fellow inmates, regardless of their position or status. "At one point, one inmate tried to take out his resentment on me," the believer recalled. "But that lasted only a few days. Then things settled down. Later, he even smiled when we said goodbye."

"Throughout my sentence, I always tried to keep up with the reports of fellow believers who were being persecuted. And the hardest thing for me was watching them go through that very first stage — the beginning of their hardship. This is because I knew what it was like for me, and how it was later. Once you've gone through persecution, you start taking things much easier," Artem said.

Altogether, 18 residents of Crimea have been convicted for their faith in Jehovah God, 15 of them were given prison terms, and 14 remain behind bars.