Toretsk Correctional Colony (No. 2)
The State Institution “Toretsk Correctional Colony (No. 2)” is one of the oldest institutions in the penitentiary system of the Donetsk region.
Until 2016, the institution was named Dzerzhynsk Correctional Colony (No. 2), which was associated with its location in the city of Dzerzhynsk, Donetsk region.
After the city was renamed as part of the decommunisation process, the institution received its modern name — State Institution “Toretsk Correctional Colony (No. 2)”. For many years, the colony was part of the structure of the State Penal Enforcement Service of Ukraine and ensured the execution of sentences in the form of imprisonment in accordance with the requirements of the penal enforcement legislation of Ukraine.
The institution played an important role in the functioning of the penitentiary system of the Donetsk region, providing for the custody of convicts, the organisation of their labour, vocational training, and the conduct of social and educational work. After the start of the armed aggression of the Russian Federation in 2014, the city of Toretsk remained under the control of Ukraine, and the colony continued to operate as normal.
At the same time, the security situation in the region gradually became more complex due to its proximity to the contact line. After the start of the full-scale invasion by the Russian Federation in February 2022 and the significant escalation of hostilities in the Donetsk region, a decision was made to evacuate the convicts to other institutions of the State Penal Enforcement Service of Ukraine. Evacuation measures were carried out in order to ensure the life and safety of the convicts and the staff of the institution.
After the evacuation of the convicts, the State Institution “Toretsk Correctional Colony (No. 2)” effectively ceased to perform its functions regarding the custody of convicts.
The future state of the property complex and the prospects for restoring the institution's activities depend on the security situation in the region and decisions by the Ministry of Justice of Ukraine.
Thus, the State Institution “Toretsk Correctional Colony (No. 2)” belongs to the institutions of the State Penal Enforcement Service of Ukraine from which convicts were evacuated in 2022 due to hostilities and the need to ensure their safety.