The Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) has taken control of seven of Russia's eight pre-trial detention centers (SIZO) as part of the Kremlin's broader efforts to strengthen the domestic security apparatus.
Taking control of most of Russia's "SIZO" prisons by the FSB will further institutionalize repression within the Russian internal security system and exacerbate the systematic mistreatment of Ukrainian prisoners of war in Russian prisons.
This was commented on by the Institute for the Study of War (ISW).
In July 2025, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a law granting the FSB the right to run its own pre-trial detention centers starting January 1, 2026, and it appears that the FSB is using this law to displace the Federal Service for the Service of Punishment.
The FSB's takeover of the "SIZO" prisons is likely to lead to a further deterioration of the human rights situation in Russia, especially with regard to prisoners.
Russian human rights lawyers told Insider that taking control of the Russian "SIZO" prisons The FSB has already worsened the conditions of detainees and restricted their access to legal aid, and warned that the FSB is likely to increase pressure on the accused, prolong investigations, and manipulate cases.
ISW has monitored reports that the FSB is using the "SIZO" prisons to mistreat and torture Ukrainian prisoners of war and civilians, and Russia has introduced measures in recent years to expand the FSB's powers to detain and punish people in Russia and occupied Ukraine.
The Russian investigative opposition source "The Insider" reported on April 11, citing the Russian state register of legal entities, that the FSB has taken direct control from the Russian Federal Penitentiary Service over the "Lefortovo" SIZO-2 in Moscow, SIZO-3 in St. Petersburg, SIZO-4 in Rostov-on-Don, SIZO-5 in Krasnodar, SIZO-6 in Vladikavkaz, SIZO-7 in Chelyabinsk and SIZO-8 in occupied Simferopol, Crimea, with only SIZO-1 in Moscow remaining under the control of the Federal Penitentiary Service.
The Insider reported that the FSB took control of the "Lefortovo" SIZO on March 2, and the remaining six SIZOs on March 23. The Insider reported that the FSB has appointed new heads of SIZO-2, SIZO-4, SIZO-5 and SIZO-6, that the current head of SIZO-3 is now affiliated with the FSB, and that information about the head of SIZO-8 is classified.
These measures appear to formalize at least de facto FSB control over Russian SIZOs, as the Russian Center for Human Rights "Memorial" — successor to the "Memorial" Center for Human Rights, which focused on Soviet-era human rights abuses — reported in October 2024 that the FSB had taken control of SIZO-2.
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On April 11, Ukraine and Russia exchanged civilian prisoners and prisoners of war.