Moscow returns body of Ukrainian journalist killed in Russian captivity bearing signs of significant torture

Warning: This nonfiction contains graphic and disturbing accounts from Russia's warfare against Ukraine.

The assemblage of Viktoria Roshchyna, 27, was 1 of 757 bodies of mostly Ukrainian soldiers returned to Kyiv connected Feb. 14, 2025, and reportedly bore unmistakable signs of torture aft much than a twelvemonth successful Russian captivity. 

Roshchyna, who was described arsenic a determined journalist, was captured by Russian forces portion reporting down the beforehand lines successful a Russian-occupied country of Ukraine successful August 2023.

While her assemblage was returned with hundreds of others, she was reportedly 1 of the fewer whose sanction was not provided, alternatively a tag attached to her shin work "unidentified male."

Journalist Viktoria Roshchyna was reportedly held successful occupied Ukraine and tortured by Russian forces earlier dying successful captivity successful October 2024. (Image provided by East2West)

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According to a study by the Washington Post, her caput had been shaved, pain marks were evident connected her feet, a rib was recovered to person been broken, and determination were imaginable traces of electrical shock. 

An probe into her detention and decease confirmed that immoderate of her organs were missing successful what immoderate reports suggested was a determination to conceal the grade of her torture, including her brain, eyes and portion of the trachea.

Yurii Bielousov, caput of the Ukrainian Prosecutor General’s Office warfare crimes department, which led the probe into her death, told Ukrainian media outlet Ukrainska Pravda that determination were signs she had besides been strangled.

Russia did not corroborate until April 2024 that it had detained the journalist, and successful October 2024 it sent a missive to her father, Volodymyr Roshchyna, telling him she had died successful captivity.

Her assemblage was marked by Russian officials with an abbreviation "SPAS," which reportedly means "total nonaccomplishment of the arteries of the heart," a designation that Russian authorities whitethorn person utilized to fabricate an authoritative origin of death.

Russia returned the bodies of 757 Ukrainians to Kyiv connected Feb. 14, 2025, including the assemblage of Viktoria Roshchyna, a writer who was held successful occupied Ukraine and reportedly tortured by Russian forces earlier dying successful captivity successful October 2024. (Image provided by East2West)

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"The information of the assemblage and its mummification person made it intolerable to found the origin of decease done the forensic examination," Bielousov told reporters progressive successful the investigation.

Roshchyna's parents person requested further investigating to beryllium carried out.

After her capture, Roshchyna was held astatine a constabulary presumption successful the metropolis of Energodar adjacent the Zaporizhzhi atomic powerfulness plant, where, according to the investigation, Russian forces acceptable up a "torture chamber" and subjected captives to terrible beatings and electrical shock.

It is believed Roshchyna endured electrical daze applied to her ears. 

Roshchyna was past transferred to Melitopol days aboriginal wherever she was held until the extremity of 2023 and is besides believed to person endured important torture. 

By the opening of 2024, she was reportedly transferred on with different prisoners to a pre-trial detention halfway known arsenic "No. 2" successful Taganrog, a metropolis successful southwest Russia adjacent the Ukrainian borderline and which has been likened to a attraction camp. 

Viktoria Roshchyna (Image provided by East2West)

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The probe referred to the tract "as 1 of the astir terrifying for Ukrainian prisoners" and confirmed that neither lawyers nor planetary organizations specified arsenic the Red Cross oregon United Nations observers person been allowed into this detention center.

Roshchyna reportedly went connected a hunger onslaught earlier she was transferred to a hospital, revived to an grade and past sent backmost to the detention center.

She was intended to beryllium returned to Ukraine successful September 2024, but the speech ne'er happened for chartless reasons. Roshchyna was past reported to person died portion successful a convoy, but wherever she was headed remains unclear.