Black Dolphin Prison is known for holding some of Russia’s most dangerous criminals, including men convicted of multiple murders and sentenced to spend the rest of their lives behind its heavily guarded walls. Among the names connected to the prison are Vladimir Nikolayev, Oleg Rylkov, Yuri Tsiuman and Andrei Melyukh, four inmates whose disturbing reputations became part of Black Dolphin’s terrifying image.
Vladimir Nikolayev, known as “The Ogre,” became one of the most infamous criminals associated with Black Dolphin. He was convicted of murder and ultimately received a life sentence, placing him among the prisoners considered too dangerous to ever return to ordinary society. His case became one of the names connected to the prison’s reputation for housing criminals responsible for some of Russia’s most disturbing crimes.
Life inside Black Dolphin is a dramatic contrast to the notoriety these prisoners gained outside its walls. Once inside, Nikolayev faced a highly controlled existence, with cameras monitoring prisoners, multiple doors separating inmates from the outside and guards conducting checks every 15 minutes. The strict routine leaves little room for freedom, regardless of how notorious the prisoner may have become.
Oleg Rylkov, known as “The Tolyatti Ripper,” was another notorious criminal held at Black Dolphin. Rylkov was convicted of multiple murders and sentenced to life imprisonment, making him one of the prisoners who would never return to normal life outside the prison.
His nickname became closely associated with the crimes that brought him there. At Black Dolphin, his past notoriety meant little in terms of daily privileges, because life sentenced prisoners are subjected to strict routines and constant supervision. Like the other inmates, Rylkov had to live under a system built around control, security and preventing escape.
Yuri Tsiuman, known as “The Black Tights Killer,” was another dangerous criminal among Black Dolphin’s life sentenced population. His disturbing nickname became connected to the crimes that led to his conviction and helped make him one of the notorious names associated with the prison.
Tsiuman was placed in an environment where movement and daily activities were tightly restricted. Prisoners begin their days early and can spend as many as 16 hours standing unless they receive permission to sit, while exercise and meals are carefully regulated. For someone serving a life sentence, this routine becomes an unchanging part of existence.
Andrei Melyukh, known as “The Brick Maniac,” completes this group of notorious Black Dolphin inmates. His nickname became associated with the disturbing crimes behind his conviction, placing him among the criminals considered dangerous enough to spend the rest of their lives in a special regime prison.
Melyukh’s imprisonment also meant adapting to Black Dolphin’s strict system. Life sentenced prisoners are kept behind multiple doors, watched by cameras and checked frequently by guards, while their movements are carefully controlled. The purpose is not to give these prisoners freedom, but to keep some of Russia’s most dangerous criminals permanently separated from society.
Together, Nikolayev, Rylkov, Tsiuman and Melyukh represent the kind of criminals that made Black Dolphin infamous. Their crimes earned them disturbing nicknames, but their life sentences ultimately brought them to the same heavily controlled prison, where every day is governed by strict rules and almost no possibility of escape.
