"It Is Not as Frightening as It Might Seem." Maksim Zinchenko from Crimea Completes Forced Labor

On June 8, 2026, Maksim Zinchenko, 34, was released a day early from a correctional center in Crimea for good behavior. Maksim served almost 1 year of forced labor; prior to that, he spent 11 months under house arrest.

"Detention is not as frightening as it might seem at first," Maksim expressed his feelings. "Sometimes I allowed myself to feel sad, but I understood that burying myself too deeply in such a state was dangerous. Prayer helped me a lot... You could say I took training courses to advance my Christian qualities."

Maksim worked as a mechanic at a poultry farm located near the correctional center, where convicted persons worked alongside local residents. "At 6:00 a.m. wake-up, morning routines, line-up, and by about 6:45 a.m. you are already on your way to work," Maksim described his daily routine at the correctional center. "A bus picks you up and takes you to the factory, and after the workday, around 6:20 p.m., you are back at the correctional center. In the evening, you can wash your clothes, cook your meals — there you provide everything for yourself, both food and all other essentials. You even have some free time. At 9:20 p.m., evening line-up and headcount, and then sleep from 10:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m."

Some weekends the believer received permission from the administration to leave the correctional center for a few hours to see his wife. "We would walk around the village and talk. My husband always listened to all my worries and comforted me," Karina said.

Maksim Zinchenko proved himself to be a diligent worker, so he was twice appointed shift leader to train new employees, not only convicted persons. Maksim's hardworking attitude was not to everyone's liking. According to him, some regularly tried to start conflicts and even provoke fights, but the believer never responded to aggression with aggression. Due to Maksim's reputation, both the administration and his colleagues sided with him. As Maksim's wife recounted, one of the convicted persons once told him: "You are like the sun for us — always cheerful and encouraging others." Another person, who was released before Zinchenko, urged the facility staff: "Look after Maksim; we are here because of our own stupidity, but he is here for no reason... People like him give us the opportunity to see what it means to live an honest life."

"For anyone who faces [unjust criminal prosecution], it is important to understand that the problem is not with us. We need to be confident that we will overcome everything. God will never leave us without strength," Maksim concluded.

In similar criminal cases, 14 Jehovah's Witnesses have already been sentenced to forced labor, 6 of whom are still serving their sentences.