This article describes the nature and extent of Covid-19 outbreaks in Russia’s penitentiary system. It includes an examination of the features and effectiveness of applied measures to prevent and control the spread of COVID-19 among employees of Russian penitentiaries and persons who are in custody or serving a prison term (i.e. all detained inmates). The article also provides a comparative legal analysis that allows one to judge the extent of the spread of a new coronavirus infection in Russia, and in penitentiary institutions across Europe. The article concludes with an assessment of whether these short-term mitigation strategies will serve as a harbinger of long term reforms in Russia’s penitentiary system.