International media have launched a large-scale investigation into the circumstances surrounding the captivity of Ukrainian journalist Victoria Roshchyna and her tragic death on Russian territory
Thirteen leading international media outlets have joined forces in this effort, together launching a broad information campaign to establish all the details of her detention outside Ukrainian legal jurisdiction and to clarify the causes of her death. The event has caused significant resonance worldwide and has become one of the most acute examples of total human rights violations committed by Russian authorities in the occupied territories. The investigation, initiated after Victoria’s death on October 10, 2024, received immediate support from the global temporary and analytical community. The initiative, called "Victoria Project," was formed to bring her truly extensive and important case to a conclusion. As early as the end of 2023, a team of 45 researchers and journalists involved in this investigation conducted over 50 in-depth interviews with people who experienced the atrocities of Russian prisons and have direct experience with the incarceration and torture systems in Crimea and the currently occupied territories. International experts, representatives of reputable outlets such as The Guardian, The Washington Post, Le Monde, Die Zeit, Der Spiegel, ZDF, France 24, "Ukrainska Pravda," as well as independent journalists from Britain, France, and Germany conducted a thorough analysis of documentary sources, court materials, and testimonies shedding light on the horrific reality faced by Ukrainian civilians in Russian prisons. It has been found that, according to approximate data from international experts, over 16,000 civilians are currently held on the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine and in Russia under terrible conditions, often without access to medical aid and showing clear signs of torture. Based on six months of research and careful analysis of numerous testimonies and documents, a number of unpredictable and very troubling details concerning Victoria’s tragic fate were established. Specifically, modern intelligence and forensic experts confirmed that the journalist’s body was delivered from the occupied territories into Russia, where her forensic examination was conducted. It is important to note that during the initial examination, numerous signs of torture were identified on Victoria’s body—bruises, hemorrhages, rib fractures, possible signs of electroshock, as well as suffocation marks. According to official information received from sources within Ukrainian investigative bodies, the woman’s body was found with signs of an autopsy performed already in Russia. It was discovered that internal organs, including the brain and eyes, were partially missing, which indicates attempts to conceal the causes of death. The most likely version of the investigation suggests suffocation or strangulation, confirmed by the absence of necessary internal organs and signs of electric shock application. It is also noteworthy that the document from Russian special services contains the abbreviation "SPAS," which in this context could refer to the so-called "Total Pathology of Coronary Arteries," although legal experts believe this label might be a formal official explanation used by the Russians to hide the real circumstances. Investigators note that forensic studies revealed the body was autopsied, likely on Russian territory, and that internal organs—particularly the brain and eyes—were removed under mysterious circumstances, possibly to conceal traces or for additional investigations. This raises significant questions and interests among experts regarding the true cause of death and the conditions under which it occurred. Another crucial detail is that the autopsy in Russia indicates an intention to hide the truth about the causes of death, as the absence of the brain and eyes complicates establishing the precise mechanism of the tragedy. The leading suspected cause—suffocation or choking with electric shock—was confirmed by signs of bodily trauma and earlier testimonies from other victims of Russian captivity. Overall, this tragedy highlights a broad issue of systemic human rights violations, torture, and the use of deliberately brutal methods. The investigation revealed that Victoria Roshchyna was held in Russian prisons exhibiting clear signs of physical abuse, including stab wounds, electric shocks, and secret beatings. The large resonance of this case stems from the fact that Russia even concealed information about her detention and death, manifesting an apparent absence of humanitarian values and adherence to international human rights standards. The backstory of this tragedy began in summer 2023, when Victoria went to the Russian-occupied eastern Ukraine to report and expose the real brutalities in the temporarily occupied territories. She left Ukraine on July 25, 2023, crossing through Poland, with plans to reach the occupied regions in eastern Ukraine within a few days. However, on August 3, her contact with the outside world was lost, and later it was revealed that she disappeared without a trace behind enemy lines. Ukrainian special authorities worked diligently to find information, and by May 2024, Russia confirmed her detention by sending a letter from the Russian Ministry of Defense to her parents. Subsequently, on October 10, 2024, it became known that the journalist was found dead with numerous signs of torture and violent death. An official statement from Russia confirmed her death, but an objective and independent investigation is still ongoing, aiming to prove the full extent of harm done to Roshchyna and to hold accountable those responsible for gross violations of humanitarian law, war crimes, and crimes against humanity. As of the time of this publication, the question of justice remains open. The global community and international human rights institutions continue to closely monitor the investigation process and call for an objective uncovering of the circumstances of her death and for the investigation of crimes committed in Russian prisons. At the same time, there are calls to strengthen sanctions and international responsibility for violations committed on the occupied Ukrainian territories. The context of this tragic story underscores the urgent need for active and united responses to gross human rights violations and ongoing torture. Justice and truth are the best ways to prevent similar tragedies in the future and to restore human dignity for all those affected by lawlessness and impunity.