Ukrainian Journalist’s Body Returned by Russia Shows Signs of Torture, Missing Organs
KYIV The body of Ukrainian journalist Victoria Roshchyna, who died in Russian custody last year, has been returned to Ukraine bearing horrific signs of torture and with several organs missing, Ukrainian authorities revealed Wednesday.
The 27-year-old reporter, who vanished while covering Russian-occupied territories in August 2023, was repatriated in February as part of a prisoner exchange – her remains mislabeled by Russian authorities as “an unidentified male.”
Evidence of Brutality
Forensic examinations confirmed Roshchyna’s identity through DNA testing and uncovered disturbing evidence of abuse:
Multiple abrasions and hemorrhages across her body
A broken rib
Possible electric shock marks
Missing brain, eyeballs, and part of her trachea
“The injuries were inflicted while she was alive,” stated Yuriy Belousov, head of Ukraine’s War Crimes Department. He noted the mutilation may have been an attempt to conceal the cause of death.
A Journalist’s Fate
Colleagues described Roshchyna as a dedicated war correspondent who risked entering occupied zones to document civilian suffering. After disappearing near the frontlines, she spent months in Russia’s notorious Taganrog detention center – a facility previously documented by CNN for its systemic abuse of Ukrainian prisoners.
Russian authorities only acknowledged holding Roshchyna nine months after her capture. By September 2024, she was dead during what officials claimed was a transfer for prisoner exchange. Her family received notification a month later.
International Outrage
The case has drawn condemnation from press freedom groups, with colleagues alleging organ removal represents a deliberate cover-up of torture. Ukraine is collaborating with international forensic experts for further investigation.
Russia has not responded to CNN’s requests for comment. The incident underscores continuing allegations of war crimes against Ukrainian civilians detained by Russian forces, as documented by multiple human rights organizations.
Roshchyna’s employer, Ukrainska Pravda, has launched a multinational investigative project to reconstruct her final months, interviewing former prisoners and guards about conditions in Russian detention facilities.
Reference
Ukrainian Journalist’s Body Returned by Russia Shows Signs of Torture, Missing Organs