Despite being held in one of Russia's toughest prisons, Navalny shared updates through his lawyers about his experience in the IK-3 penal colony, also known as "Polar Wolf," located in Kharp, northern Russia.

Navalny humorously referred to himself as the new Santa Claus in his update, mentioning that he now has a sheepskin coat, an ushanka hat, and will soon receive valenki, traditional Russian winter footwear. He also mentioned that he grew a beard during the 20 days of his transportation to the prison.

The IK-3 penal colony, situated above the Arctic Circle, is known for its challenging conditions. Russian authorities had initially held Navalny in a facility east of Moscow before moving him to Polar Wolf, located about 1,200 miles northeast of the capital city. Founded in 1961, the prison is situated on the site of a former Soviet gulag forced labor camp.

Despite the difficult circumstances, Navalny maintained a positive outlook, mentioning the presence of huge fluffy and beautiful shepherd dogs in the prison. He also highlighted the fact that he now lives above the Arctic Circle.

Navalny's transportation to the prison was deliberately secretive, taking a strange route to ensure maximum physical isolation. Human rights defender Igor Kalyapin expressed concerns about the terrible conditions at the prison, describing it as detention in maximum isolation.

Navalny has been imprisoned since his return to Russia in 2021, where he was immediately arrested and later sentenced to 19 years in prison on extremism charges. His team has repeatedly raised concerns about his treatment following his return. Navalny, who was a victim of an alleged assassination attempt in 2020 through poisoning, has accused Putin of being responsible.

Ivan Zhadov, Navalny's aide and head of his anti-corruption foundation, criticized the Russian government's treatment of Navalny, stating that it exemplifies how the system treats political prisoners.

Despite the challenging circumstances, Navalny's humor and resilience continue to shed light on the situation in Russian prisons, drawing attention to the treatment of political prisoners and the fight for justice within the country.