The body of 27-year-old Ukrainian journalist Viktoria Roshchyna, who went missing while reporting in Russian-occupied territory, has been returned to Ukraine months after her death, severely mutilated and bearing signs of torture.
Roshchyna disappeared in August 2023 during a reporting mission to the occupied city of Berdiansk. Ukrainian authorities confirmed that she had been captured by Russian forces and held without charge in Russia’s notorious Taganrog detention facility, known for the brutal treatment of prisoners.
She reportedly died in September 2024 during a transfer from Taganrog to Moscow in preparation for a potential prisoner exchange. However, her death was only disclosed to her family weeks later, and her body was returned to Ukraine in February 2025, labeled as an “unidentified male.”
Yuriy Belousov, head of the War Crimes Department at the Ukrainian Prosecutor General’s Office, said forensic experts found “numerous signs of torture and ill-treatment, including abrasions, hemorrhages, a broken rib, and possible electric shock marks on her feet.” He stated that the injuries occurred while Roshchyna was still alive.
Ukrainska Pravda, the news outlet she worked with, reported that her body was missing several organs, including her brain, eyes, and part of her windpipe.
Investigators suspect this was a deliberate attempt to hide further evidence of torture. The autopsy appeared to have been conducted before the body was returned, further complicating the ability to determine her exact cause of death.
Russian authorities have yet to respond to inquiries about her detention or death.
CNN, which has previously investigated torture methods in Russian facilities, confirmed that Taganrog prison has a record of detainees being subjected to electric shocks, physical beatings, and psychological abuse.
Petro Yatsenko, spokesperson for Ukraine’s Coordination Center for the Treatment of Prisoners of War, said Roshchyna’s death is being treated as a war crime. “This is not just a personal tragedy, it is a war crime. Viktoria’s courage and sacrifice will not be forgotten,” he said.
European Commission spokesperson Anitta Hipper condemned Russia’s actions during a press briefing in Brussels: “Russia does not miss any opportunity to show its despicable brutality towards Ukrainians by killing and torturing, as it was the case with Viktoria Roshchyna. We will do everything possible to ensure accountability.”
Roshchyna had previously been detained by Russia’s FSB in 2022 and later released. Despite the danger, she continued reporting from high-risk areas, including the frontline and occupied regions. Her commitment to covering the human cost of war made her a respected figure in Ukrainian journalism.
She is the only known Ukrainian journalist confirmed to have died in Russian captivity. Her body was one of 757 corpses returned to Ukraine in the February 2025 exchange.
A vigil held in Kyiv on October 11, 2024, brought together journalists, human rights defenders, and members of the public who honored her legacy.
Evgeniya Motorevskaya, a colleague and former editor at Hromadske, paid tribute to her: “For her, there was nothing more important than journalism. Vika was always where the most important events for the country took place. And she would have continued to do this for many years, but the Russians killed her.”
The case of Viktoria Roshchyna has sparked renewed calls for accountability for Russian war crimes. Human rights groups, Ukrainian authorities, and international forensic teams continue to investigate the incident.
