Viktoriya Roshchyna, a journalist for the Ukrainian media outlet Hromadske, who was abducted by Russians in Berdyansk, died in Russian captivity.
This was announced on the air of a national telethon by a representative of the Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War in Ukraine, Petro Yatsenko, Interfax-Ukraine reports.
"Indeed, we have conducted an internal investigation and, unfortunately, this information has been confirmed. Unfortunately, the information about Viktoriya's death has been confirmed," Yatsenko said.
The circumstances of Roshchyna's death are currently being investigated.
"Viktoriya Roshchyna, as well as all other Ukrainian journalists, is now in Russian captivity. There are about 25 Ukrainian journalists [in captivity in Russia], and there are also those who are considered missing. We are working on all of them. Work was also underway to release Viktoriya, and the fact that she was transferred from Taganrog to Moscow was a stage of her preparation for release," Yatsenko said.
Update. Ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets said that he had received official documentary confirmation from the Russian side of the death of Viktoriya Roshchyna.
"The woman went missing in August 2023 in the TOT of Ukraine. In September of the same year, Roshchyna's relatives appealed to the relevant authorities to find her. The Ombudsman's Office also received an appeal from her relatives. It was only in May 2024 that Russia confirmed that she had been detained and was being held in Russia! There was also confirmation from the ICRC," Lubinets said.
The Ombudsman informed the UN and the ICRC to record the death of a civilian illegally detained by Russia.
About the journalist's disappearance
- On 15 March 2022, Russians kidnapped Viktoriya Roshchyna in Berdyansk, who was preparing materials on the hostilities in eastern and southern Ukraine. After that, her whereabouts were unknown for a long time. Later, pro-Russian media and telegram channels circulated a video in which Roshchyna denied her claims against the Russian services that held her captive and said that they had allegedly saved her life. She was held for 10 days but later released.
- On 3 August last year, Roshchyna disappeared in the temporarily occupied territory. In May 2024, Russia confirmed for the first time that it was holding her in captivity.