Ukrainian journalist Victoria Roshchyna, who vanished in Russian-occupied territory in 2023, has been confirmed dead after her body was returned to Ukraine as part of a February exchange.
A forensic report found “numerous signs of torture and ill-treatment… including abrasions and hemorrhages,” said Yuriy Belousov from Ukraine’s war crimes office.
Although the remains were mislabeled as an “unidentified male,” DNA testing confirmed Roshchyna’s identity. Her colleagues reported her body was missing organs, including her brain and windpipe, raising suspicions about efforts to conceal the cause of death.
Roshchyna had traveled to a Russian-controlled region to report on life under occupation. She was detained without trial and held for months in Russia, including at the Taganrog facility, known for abusive treatment.
Ukrainian officials say she died during a transfer to Moscow ahead of a planned prisoner swap. Moscow only acknowledged her detention after nine months, and the news of her death reached her family about a month later.
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