Ukrainian journalist Victoria Roshchyna, who went missing in a Russian-occupied area of Ukraine, has reportedly died while in Russian detention, according to Ukrainian authorities.
Missing for months
Roshchyna, aged 27, was last seen in August of the previous year during a reporting trip in a Russian-occupied region. She was missing for several months, and her family was unaware of her whereabouts.
The Office of the Ukrainian Prosecutor General stated that Russian authorities only informed Roshchyna’s family of her detention in April, long after her capture. “I have received official documentation from the Russian side confirming the death of Ukrainian journalist Victoria Roshchyna, who had been unlawfully detained by Russia,” said Dmytro Lubinets, Ukraine’s human rights commissioner, in a statement.
Russian authorities have not responded to requests for comment, including one from Journalist Wire.
Colleagues of Roshchyna said she had traveled to Russian-controlled territory to report on the conditions faced by residents living under occupation. They expressed their belief that her death resulted from her time in Russian custody.
“We believe her death was either due to deliberate harm or the harsh treatment and violence she endured while detained,” read a statement from Ukrainian journalists and media professionals, which was published across multiple Ukrainian media platforms. The statement also noted that Roshchyna had been in good health prior to her detention.
Investigation
The Ukrainian Prosecutor General’s Office has launched an investigation into her death, considering it a war crime and a possible premeditated murder.
Evgeniya Motorevskaya, Roshchyna’s former editor at the Ukrainian media outlet Hromadske, said Roshchyna was deeply committed to her work. “For her, journalism was of utmost importance. Vika was always present where the most significant events in the country unfolded. She would have continued her work for many years, but her life was cut short,” she said, using a familiar form of Roshchyna’s name.
Petro Yatsenko, spokesperson for the Ukrainian Coordination Center for the Treatment of Prisoners of War, stated that approximately 25 Ukrainian journalists remain in Russian captivity, with several others still missing.
Arbitrary detention
Ukrainian authorities report that thousands of Ukrainian citizens have been subjected to arbitrary detention in Russia. In July, human rights commissioner Lubinets said that 14,000 Ukrainian civilians were being held in Russian custody, with some detained since 2014, when conflict first broke out in eastern Ukraine and Crimea was annexed by Russia.
According to Yatsenko, Russian authorities claimed Roshchyna died while being transferred from a detention facility in Taganrog, southern Russia, to Moscow. He mentioned that the transfer was part of preparations for her release in a prisoner exchange. “Unfortunately, we were too late,” he said in a statement.
Tetyana Katrychenko of the Media Initiative for Human Rights highlighted the difficult conditions at the detention facility in Taganrog, noting that it is known for its harsh treatment of detainees. “Taganrog is recognized as one of the most brutal detention centers for Ukrainians in Russia,” Katrychenko said, adding that Roshchyna was held in solitary confinement from May to September 2024.
Roshchyna had received the 2022 Courage in Journalism Award from the International Women’s Media Foundation. Her reporting appeared in various outlets, including Ukrayinska Pravda, Hromadske, and Radio Free Europe.