“Don’t Lose Heart and Keep Doing Good.” Vladimir Popov from Gukovo Released After Nearly 6 Years Behind Bars

On May 22, 2026, Vladimir Popov, a 59-year-old Jehovah's Witness, was released from penal colony No. 3 in Dimitrovgrad. At the gates of the facility, he was finally reunited with his wife and friends.

Vladimir's wife, Irina, said: "We lived together for 35 years and weren't just a couple, but close friends too. We always talked a lot, discussed everything together, shared our feelings and concerns. All of that suddenly stopped when he was arrested. For about 3 years, while Vladimir was in the detention center, we saw each other only in court." Later, Irina was able to visit her husband in the penal colony.

"The hardest part in prison was the waiting... but prayer and hope helped," Vladimir Popov said after his release. Physically, it wasn't easy either: at times there was constant noise in the cell, so it was impossible to get enough sleep. It took a toll on his health: spikes in his blood pressure, dizziness, pain in his back and joints. Moreover, the believer waited nearly 2 years for dental treatment, which he received only shortly before his release.

While in the colony, Vladimir worked in the sewing workshop: first as a packer, and later as a sewing-machine mechanic. The administration recognized his work with commendations several times and one award.

"My husband is a very sociable person with a sense of humor, so it wasn't hard for him to find common ground with people even in prison," Irina said. "The guards spoke well of him, and so did his cellmates. Some guys who'd already been released once told me that even though Uncle Vladimir is much older — about the same age as their father — he was a friend to them: always ready to support them, help out, and give advice."

"It's important not to lose heart and to keep doing good," Vladimir Popov concluded.

Searches in August 2020 marked the start of the criminal prosecution of Vladimir Popov for being one of Jehovah's Witnesses. Since then, he remained behind bars. Vladimir Popov and five fellow believers were sentenced to lengthy prison terms. One of them, Aleksey Dyadkin, is still in the penal colony. He is due to be released in June.