Ukrainian journalist tortured in Russian captivity: Viktoriia Roshchyna, according to According to forensic reports, suffered intensive torture, including burn marks on her feet from electric shocks, broken ribs, abrasions on the hips and head, and a shaven head in Russian custody.
In what comes as a shocking development, a recent investigation by some media organisations has revealed the tragic death of Ukrainian journalist Viktoriia Roshchyna. She was captured by the Russian forces in 2023 while she was reporting near the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power station, The Guardian reports. The report quotes sources close to the investigation saying that the hyoid bone in her neck was broken. Notably, this type of damage is possible during strangulation.
Signs of inhumane torture
According to forensics, Roshchyna suffered intensive torture, including burn marks on her feet from electric shocks, broken ribs, abrasions on the hips and head, and a shaven head in Russian custody.
Her body was returned during the exchange on February 14 with certain parts missing, including the brain, eyes and larynx.
Who was Viktoriia Roshchyna?
Viktoriia Roshchyna was known to her family as Vika. Her father took part in the Soviet War in Afghanistan. She was only 17 years old when Russia annexed Crimea. According to her colleagues, she was obsessed with her work and had an uncompromising attitude.
Her arrest was confirmed in a letter to her parents in April 2024. She was declared dead in October by Ukraine’s Prisoners of War Coordination Headquarters. The announcement said she died on September 19 at the age of 27.
Roshchyna reportedly wanted to investigate the war crimes that Russia was ‘covering up’. She sought to expose the truth behind secret detention centres and uncover the torture inflicted on citizens.
Fate of detainees in Russian detention centres
The report adds that most of the persons detained are being held without charge. The reason for their detention is being cited as a war crime, and evidence is being gathered for eventual prosecutions.
The Moscow Times, in its report, quotes a collaborative investigation led by Forbidden Stories to claim that Russian authorities systematically torture Ukrainian civilians and prisoners of war across a chain of detention centres. The report says that the facilities are capable of holding up to 18,000 detainees, with most of the civilians arrested without formal charges.
