New details about the death of journalist Victoriya Roshchyna in Russian captivity

New details about the death of journalist Victoriya Roshchyna in Russian captivity

On Friday, August 8, in Kyiv, a farewell and burial took place for Ukrainian journalist Viktoriya Roshchyna, who was tortured to death in Russian captivity. She collaborated with many Ukrainian media outlets and was a freelancer for Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty.

At the request of the journalist’s family, a series of additional examinations were conducted to identify the body, which was returned by the Russians in February 2025. More details about the examinations, new findings regarding the journalist’s death, and the next steps in the investigation were shared by Yuriy Byelousov, Head of the Department for Countering Crimes Committed in Conditions of Armed Conflict at the Office of the Prosecutor General, in a report by Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty project «News of Pryazovia».

Yuriy Byelousov

– August 8 – the burial of Viktoria Roshchyna. Can it be confirmed 100% that the remains handed over by Russia belong to her?

– Yes, this can be stated unequivocally. I’ll put it this way: I can’t recall a time when we conducted so many examinations to identify a person.

We carried out two DNA tests, and additionally, an international commission on missing persons from the Netherlands, which is globally renowned and holds the highest reputation for body identification, was involved. Their data also confirmed that the remains belong to Viktoriya Roshchyna.

The investigative authorities had no doubts about this, and still have none. However, since her relatives had doubts, we accommodated their concerns and ordered two additional examinations.

These additional examinations—one conducted by Ukrainian specialists and the other by specialists from the Netherlands—also confirmed the results of the initial examination. This is Viktoriya Roshchyna.

– So, no further examinations will be conducted?

– For identification purposes—no.

If the relatives hadn’t insisted, we would have recognized the body as Viktoriya Roshchyna’s back in the spring. But out of respect for her loved ones, I understand that people may have doubts, especially given the high-profile nature of the case, so we agreed to conduct additional examinations.

We will not conduct any further examinations. It’s time to lay this body to rest with respect for this person.

Viktoriya Roshchyna

– What is the latest information you have about the injuries?

– Many different types of examinations were conducted, and we also involved the main bureau of forensic medical expertise under the Ministry of Health.

They conducted a forensic medical examination, or more precisely, a comprehensive commission. As a result, a whole range of bodily injuries was established.

First of all, it should be noted that determining bodily injuries when the body is in such a condition is extremely difficult. But the specialists managed to do so.

Ukraine’s highest-qualified specialists established:

• the presence of a neck injury,
• fractures of a number of bones,
• hemorrhages, abrasions near the temporal area, right shoulder, shin, and left foot.

In other words, various bodily injuries, including bone fractures, were found on different parts of the body.

For us, this is evidence that Viktoria was undoubtedly subjected to cruel treatment.

«Cause of death unknown»

– Is it possible to determine the cause of death given the condition of the body? Will it be possible to establish it in the future, or is it impossible?

– National examinations could not establish the cause of death.

We are still awaiting results from our French colleagues, but the likelihood is extremely low due to the condition of the body.

That doesn’t mean the cause of death won’t be established. It just means that determining the cause through forensic medical examinations will be extremely difficult.

But that doesn’t mean we aren’t trying to establish it through other investigative methods.

– So, can we conclude that Russia deliberately returned the body in such a condition to make it impossible to definitively establish the cause of death?

– There are two versions: yes and no.

They generally have a culture of cruel treatment toward all our prisoners and civilians. Unfortunately, everyone in captivity is in a horrific condition.

So Viktoriya fell into this machine of cruel treatment of our citizens.

However, there was a special attitude toward her; they definitely knew who she was.

They understood how much this person was being searched for. So it’s possible that her journalistic activities led to additional cruel treatment.

Ukrainian soldier after Russian captivity

Perhaps they deliberately delayed the process of returning the body to maximally confuse the investigative authorities. This version is also being explored by us.

We see all the other bodies returned to Ukraine; we see our living people after captivity. People return in a horrific condition; virtually all of them are subjected to cruel treatment.

«Identifying those responsible to ensure punishment»

– What will be the next steps in the investigation to identify those responsible for Roshchyna’s death?

– Of course, I cannot provide such details. It’s important for us to establish all the circumstances: when she disappeared, where she was held, who the people were who detained her, who held her, who inflicted bodily injuries on her, and not just in one facility but in a series of facilities she passed through.

All these circumstances are currently being investigated. And all the individuals involved are definitely in our focus. So, our task is to identify them and attempt to hold them accountable, either through in-absentia or in-person procedures if they fall into our hands or those of our colleagues abroad.

– How difficult will this be, and how long might it take?

– I think it will be a gradual process. Right now, we are identifying specific individuals, and we are working very productively on several of them. I believe that as soon as we establish their involvement, we will immediately release this information, understanding the high-profile nature of this case.

For us, this case is a priority, and not just for us but for the entire journalistic community and our colleagues.

This case demonstrates the overall attitude toward people who hold pro-Ukrainian positions, who try to document this evil, and who strive to inform the world about what is happening. Therefore, this case is a matter of honor for the journalistic community and for us as well.

Of course, other cases are also important, but there are cases that show how the entire system works. This case falls into that category.

– How important is it to issue even in-absentia verdicts for those involved in such crimes?

– In-absentia verdicts are very important to issue. We are talking about tens or hundreds of thousands of crimes, and accordingly, criminals who are hiding on enemy territory, whom we need to identify and who do not want to be punished.

A court verdict helps us block their movement around the world. So, it’s not just a political recognition or a fact we publicly announce. It’s a legal fact established in the national justice system.

We must know what is happening on our land, we must document it, we must inform our citizens about what is happening if we have these facts. People who have suffered from this must testify in court and speak about what happened to them.

Therefore, for me, an in-absentia verdict is the fixation of a fact. It’s an opportunity to hear the victim, to hear the affected, to hear the loved ones of those who died, so they can give their testimonies in court. This is recorded, it’s already a historical fact that will later be studied not only by lawyers but also by historians and documentarians, so that our future generations can see these testimonies and understand what happened in this country. So, the focus here is much broader than just prosecution.

• In October 2024, it became known that Ukrainian journalist Viktoriya Roshchyna, who went missing during a trip to occupied territories and was held in Russia, died in Russian captivity.
• Viktoria Roshchyna lost contact with her family on August 3, 2023. According to her father, on July 27, Roshchyna traveled from Ukraine to Poland and was supposed to reach the occupied territories in eastern Ukraine (via Russia) within three days. At that time, Volodymyr Roshchyn told that the Ukrainian Security Service confirmed to the family that Viktoria had been taken into captivity by Russian forces.
• Roshchyna authored a series of reports for Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty and worked as a freelancer with them in 2022. She also collaborated with «Ukrainska Pravda», hromadske, «Ukrainian Radio», «UA:Pershyi», and «Censor.net».
• The National Police of Ukraine notified in absentia a former head of Detention Center No. 2 in Taganrog of suspicion of a war crime against civilians. The press service statement refers to the death of a journalist—her name is not mentioned, but the circumstances of the case indicate it is about this incident.
• President Volodymyr Zelenskyy signed a decree awarding journalist Viktoriya Roshchyna, who died in Russian captivity, the Order of Freedom.

Author: Valeriya Konstantynova