The remains of Ukrainian journalist Victoria Roshchyna were repatriated to Ukraine when she was kidnapped and murdered by Russian troops. Her remains, found to be in an extremely mummified condition, indicated ‘multiple signs of torture’ such as bruises, broken ribs, and evidence of electrocution. Portions of her body, such as her eyes, brain, and larynx, had been extracted, which indicates a bid to conceal the torture inflicted on her.
Forensic Findings and Torture Details
Roshchyna, a 27-year-old journalist for several Ukrainian media, including Radio Free Europe, had gone missing since August 2023 in Russian-occupied Ukrainian regions. She was returned as part of an exchange of 757 Ukrainian remains and was initially identified as an ‘unidentified male’. A Russian stamp on her remains suggested potential heart injury. A bruise on her neck, according to Yuriy Belousov, head of Ukraine’s Prosecutor General’s Office’s war crimes department, indicated strangulation.
Her body was significantly lighter and smaller compared to others, and forensic testing indicated unequivocal signs of physical violence. The Ukrainian Prosecutor General’s Office is carrying out further tests, and Roshchyna’s father has asked for additional foreign examinations.
Roshchyna had twice been arrested by Russian troops, first in March 2022 when she was detained for ten days and then released after a public outcry. She received the International Women’s Media Foundation’s 2022 Courage in Journalism Award for her courageous reporting. In spite of her poor mental health, she persisted in her work, revealing Russian war crimes, including the intimidation of staff at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant.
What was Roshchyna Investigating in Russia?
In her last trip, Roshchyna had been researching black sites where Russian troops purportedly tortured and intimidated civilians into extracting false confessions. Her last known location was in a black site in Melitopol, where she was tortured using electric shocks and stabbed. One of Roshchyna’s former cellmates remembered Roshchyna’s dramatic physical deterioration, remembering her as being unable to lift her head and in a state of perpetual fear.
Roshchyna was committed to her work. In November 2022, she declared her commitment to telling the truth, stating, “We have stayed loyal to our cause, to deliver the truth to the world, to counteract Russian propaganda. Alas, many journalists have perished. I would like to dedicate this award to them. After all, they died in the struggle for the truth, attempting to document Russian atrocities. I thank them.”
