Brave Ukrainian Journalist Viktoriia Roshchyna Dies in Russian Captivity

Viktoriia Roshchyna, a Ukrainian journalist who died in Russian captivity last year at the age of 27, was buried in Kyiv earlier this month. Roshchyna was known for her courageous reporting on Russia's systematic policy of extrajudicial detention and torture in occupied parts of Ukraine, before falling victim to this herself.

Roshchyna was taken captive briefly in the early weeks of the 2022 Russian invasion, but was later released. However, she continued to travel to occupied areas to report on life under Russian control and was captured again in August 2023. She spent nearly nine months imprisoned at a detention center in Taganrog, which has been identified as one of the worst places for torture and mistreatment of Ukrainian detainees.

Roshchyna's body was returned earlier this year, with some of her internal organs missing. Ukrainian investigators have found evidence that her hyoid bone was broken, a sign of potential strangulation. Her editors and colleagues have vowed to continue investigating the circumstances of her death and holding those responsible accountable.

Roshchyna was posthumously awarded Ukraine's Order of Freedom by President Zelenskyy, who praised her "unwavering belief that freedom will overcome everything." Her colleagues described her as a passionate and driven journalist who pursued her work with intense dedication, often putting herself at great personal risk.