“Up until 2022, I didn’t see myself as anyone,” says 29-year-old Anastasia, known as Nastya, whose life changed in the wake of Russia’s offensive in Ukraine, turning her into an activist. Now, she seeks to offer support to victims of repression by writing letters and sending parcels to prisons. Nastya says she “wouldn’t want to do anything else,” adding that she doesn’t “select” prisoners based on their cases. Among those she writes to is Vladimir Kara-Murza, who was sentenced last year to 25 years — the harshest sentence against an opposition leader in the history of modern Russia.
A young Russian’s life transformed by Ukraine conflict
