The body of journalist Viktoriya Roshchyna, who died in Russian captivity last autumn, has been returned to Ukraine.
Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs of Ukraine Leonid Tymchenko said this in an interview with Censor.NET.
“Her body was returned as part of the recent repatriation at the end of February this year,” he said.
According to the deputy minister, the woman was identified through DNA testing.
- Viktoriya Roshchyna was abducted by Russians in Berdyansk on 15 March 2022. The journalist was preparing materials about the hostilities in eastern and southern Ukraine. After that, her whereabouts were unknown for a long time. Later, pro-Russian media and Telegram channels disseminated a video in which Roshchyna denied her claims against the Russian services holding her captive and said that they had allegedly saved her life. She was held for 10 days but later released.
- On 3 August 2023, Roshchyna disappeared in the temporarily occupied territory. In May 2024, Russia confirmed for the first time that it was holding her captive.
- Roshchyna was supposed to be exchanged in September, but her father was informed of her death during the transfer. This statement by the Russian side was verified – and unfortunately, it was confirmed.
- On 11 October, the Office of the Prosecutor General of Ukraine announced that the death of journalist Viktoriya Roshchyna in Russian captivity would be investigated as a war crime combined with premeditated murder.
- Viktoriya Roshchyna was severely tortured. This is stated in the investigative film Vika’s Last Task by Slidstvo.info.
- Later, the journalist was posthumously awarded the Homo homini human rights prize.