Former Kuzbass trade unionist Oleg Tyryshkin dies in custody

Oleg Tyryshkin, a former miner, trade union activist, and political prisoner, died on 4 February 2026 while in state custody at Pre-Trial Detention Centre No. 4 in Anzhero-Sudzhensk, Kemerovo region. His death was reported by SOTAvision, citing information provided by his wife.

‘On 4 February, he suffered cardiac distress while at the detention centre. He was moved to a hospital in Kemerovo, where he died shortly afterwards. Neither his family nor his legal representative had been notified in advance of the precipitous decline in his condition,’ the outlet stated.

The family was not officially informed of Oleg Tyryshkin’s death until 8 February.

On 24 April, Oleg Tyryshkin’s name was struck from the Rosfinmonitoring list of terrorists and extremists. It was only when activists corresponding with political prisoners began investigating the reasons for his removal that news of his death finally emerged.

According to his wife, the authorities were in the process of bringing a further criminal case against him, once again in connection with social media comments. To facilitate this, he had been transferred from a penal colony back to a pre-trial detention facility.

In 2024, Oleg Tyryshkin was sentenced to two years in a penal colony over a comment regarding the death of Akhmat Kadyrov. Describing the post himself, he said: ‘It was about Kadyrov, the father, who was blown up at a stadium. Someone wrote: “they blew him up there”. I simply replied: “Blown up—good riddance. He killed many Russian soldiers.” That was all.’

During the appeal process, his defence counsel submitted that Oleg suffered from significant medical conditions, including a brain cyst, panic attacks, and an organic personality disorder. During a hearing at the Military Court of Appeal, he complained of acute malaise and respiratory difficulties. During a recess, he lay down on the floor of the video-link cell. A paramedic from the detention centre told the court that ‘all the prisoner’s vital signs are within normal limits’.

Judge Kozhevnikov addressed Oleg Tyryshkin directly, stating: ‘Your actions may be interpreted as a refusal to participate in the hearing. Exaggeration of symptoms, much like malingering, does not constitute grounds for non-participation.’ The judge proceeded with the hearing, and the political prisoner was forced to listen to the dismissal of his appeal while lying on the floor.

Oleg Tyryshkin was 64 years old. A veteran of the mining industry and a trade union leader from Anzhero-Sudzhensk, he was a designated ‘Veteran of Labour’ and an honorary blood donor. He had been subjected to repeated fines for his opposition activities and comments prior to his imprisonment.