The body of a Ukrainian journalist, Victoria Roshchyna, who was detained by Russian forces and died in captivity, has been returned to her home country with signs of torture and missing organs. Roshchyna, 27 years old at the time of her death, went missing in August 2023 while working on an assignment in a Russian-held area of Ukraine for the media outlet Ukrainska Pravda. Despite being detained by Russian forces and eventually deported to Russia, it took nine months for the country to acknowledge her captivity. She was pronounced dead in September 2024, with her family only being informed a month later. The exchange of bodies between Russia and Ukraine in February 2025 initially misidentified her remains as an “unidentified male,” although subsequent DNA tests confirmed her identity.
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():format(jpeg)/ukrainian-journalist-victoria-roshchyna-043025-721aa08b071947f9abe6a73ef29e3a54.jpg)
Yuriy Belousov, the head of the war crimes department at the Ukrainian Prosecutor General’s Office, reported that forensic examinations revealed numerous signs of torture and ill-treatment on Roshchyna’s body, indicating injuries sustained while she was still alive. Shockingly, her body was found to be missing organs, including her brain, eyeballs, and part of her trachea, raising suspicions that her captors may have removed them to conceal the true cause of her death. The extent of the damage to her body has made it challenging to determine the exact circumstances of her demise, prompting Ukrainian authorities to seek assistance from international forensic experts.
In a commemoration ceremony held in Kyiv on October 11, 2024, Roshchyna’s friends and colleagues paid tribute to her, recalling her dedication to journalism and bravery in covering important events in the country. Evgeniya Motorevskaya, who worked with Roshchyna at Hromadske, a Ukrainian media outlet, praised her late friend’s commitment. The ceremony served as a poignant reminder of the high cost journalists often pay in pursuit of truth and accountability. The tragic loss of Roshchyna has sparked outrage and condemnation from the international community, prompting calls for a thorough investigation into her death and justice for the heinous crimes committed against her.
Reports from May 2024 shed light on the alleged use of torture, including electrocution and sexual violence, by Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) officers on detained Ukrainians. Accounts from survivors paint a chilling picture of brutality and inhumanity, with details of torture methods such as the use of electric shock devices and psychological intimidation. The harrowing testimonies underscore the urgent need for accountability and justice for victims of such egregious human rights violations. The international outrage over Roshchyna’s tragic fate serves as a stark reminder of the dangers faced by journalists and civilians in conflict zones, where their lives are often at risk simply for seeking to uncover the truth and expose injustice.
The case of Victoria Roshchyna exemplifies the perils faced by journalists working in hostile environments, where press freedom is under threat, and the targeting of media professionals persists. The disturbing revelation of her torture and the mutilation of her body underscores the urgent need for accountability and justice for those responsible for such heinous crimes. The international community must stand united in condemning such atrocities and demanding justice for the victims, as silence only emboldens perpetrators. Roshchyna’s memory serves as a somber reminder of the sacrifices made by journalists in the pursuit of truth and the critical role they play in upholding democratic values and shining a light on injustice. Her legacy must inspire renewed efforts to safeguard press freedom and protect those who risk their lives to expose the truth.