On August 8, a farewell ceremony will be held in Kyiv for Ukrainian journalist Viktoria Roshchyna, who died while in Russian captivity. The ceremony will begin at 12:00 PM at St. Michael's Cathedral and conclude at 2:00 PM at Baikove Cemetery. In this publication, UNN has gathered all the details of the case, the results of the forensic medical examination, and the status of the investigation.
Farewell to Viktoria Roshchyna
On August 8, 2025, a farewell ceremony will be held in Kyiv for Ukrainian journalist Viktoria Roshchyna, who died in Russian captivity. The funeral events will begin at 12:00 PM at St. Michael's Cathedral, followed by a farewell ceremony at 1:00 PM at Maidan Nezalezhnosti, and will conclude at 2:00 PM at Baikove Cemetery. The farewell was organized by Viktoria's colleagues from several newsrooms with whom she collaborated.
Roshchyna died in Russian captivity due to torture
Viktoria Roshchyna went missing on August 3, 2023, during a trip to the temporarily occupied territories. Only in May 2024 did Russia officially confirm her arrest. In February 2025, the journalist's body was transferred to Ukraine as an "unidentified male body."
In February 2025, a forensic medical examination was ordered to determine the cause of death, existing bodily injuries, and the nature of their infliction.
According to its results, numerous signs of torture and cruel treatment were found on the body of the deceased, including abrasions and hemorrhages on various parts of the body, a broken rib, and possible traces of electric shock. However, due to the condition of the body, the cause of death could not be initially established. Therefore, the necessary samples were taken, and the issue of conducting an additional forensic medical examination with the participation of French experts to establish the cause of death and the nature of the detected bodily injuries is currently being resolved.
Investigators report that the journalist's body after the exchange was lighter and smaller than the rest. Forbidden Stories notes that the body was returned with several parts of the brain, larynx, and eyeballs removed. Investigators explain that such damage could have been inflicted to conceal the fact that death occurred due to strangulation or suffocation.
In this regard, the Office of the Prosecutor General of Ukraine announced suspicion against the former head of Detention Center No. 2 in Taganrog, Russia, for cruel treatment of civilians. The incriminated article provides for punishment of up to 12 years in prison.
It is noted that in Detention Center No. 2, she was subjected to systemic torture, beatings, humiliation, threats, severe restrictions on access to medical care, drinking water, and food. In addition, physical punishment and psychological pressure were applied to her with the demand for cooperation with the institution's administration.
As prosecutors noted, the suspect was aware that the journalist was a civilian, did not participate in the armed conflict, and had the appropriate status guaranteed to her by international humanitarian law, but deliberately violated the norms of the Geneva Convention and other international treaties. All persons involved in crimes against the Ukrainian journalist are currently being identified.
Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada Ruslan Stefanchuk put to a vote the proposal for preliminary support of the parliamentary request to the President of Ukraine from a group of people's deputies regarding the posthumous awarding of the title Hero of Ukraine to journalist Viktoria Roshchyna. The proposal was supported by 247 people's deputies.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy awarded Roshchyna, who died due to torture in Russian captivity, the Order of Freedom.
How many journalists have been in Russian captivity
According to the monitoring department of freedom of speech of the Institute of Mass Information, since the beginning of 2014, at least 112 journalists, both Ukrainian and foreign.
Some of them have already been released, while others remain in captivity. Relatives of prisoners are often afraid to openly talk about the conditions of detention, as they are allegedly forbidden to do so in order not to worsen the conditions of those who are still in captivity. However, public disclosure of facts about torture, starvation, and lack of medical care can stimulate international organizations and Western countries to increase pressure on Russia to accelerate the release of Ukrainian hostages.
According to IMI, since the beginning of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, 664 crimes against journalists and media have been recorded. As a result of the aggression, almost media workers died, 12 of whom were performing professional duties.