Cause of death of journalist Viktoriia Roshchyna has not yet been determined due to condition of body, Prosecutor General’s Office reported
Due to the condition of her body, it was not possible to determine the cause of death of journalist Viktoriia Roshchyna, who was tortured to death in Russian captivity. Her body was returned to Ukraine as part of a recent repatriation.
This was announced at a briefing by Yurii Bielousov, head of the Department for Combating Crimes Committed in Armed Conflict at the Office of the Prosecutor General, according to Censor.NET.
It is noted that the Office of the Prosecutor General is conducting procedural supervision of the criminal investigation into the death of journalist Viktoriia Roshchyna while she was being held captive in Russia.
In October 2024, information was received that Viktoria had died in territory controlled by the Russian Federation. According to the results of an examination of the bodies returned from Russia without the names of the deceased, in February 2025, a tag with the surname Roshchyna was found on one of them.
A molecular examination was ordered to identify her body and confirm that it was indeed her. Experts took DNA samples from both of Viktoriia's parents. Based on the results of this examination, the expert concluded that there was a probability of over 99% that the body belonged to Ms. Viktoriia, said Yurii Bielousov.
The parents of the deceased journalist have requested an additional examination to identify the body. The issue of conducting additional identification of the body with the involvement of French colleagues is currently being resolved.
In addition, a forensic medical examination has been scheduled for February 2025 to determine the cause of death, the bodily injuries, and the nature of their infliction.
According to Bielousov, the forensic examination revealed multiple signs of torture and cruel treatment on Roshchyna’s body, including abrasions and bruises on various parts of the body, a broken rib, and possible evidence of electric shock.
"However, due to the condition of the body, it was not initially possible to establish the cause of death. Therefore, the necessary samples were taken and the issue of conducting an additional forensic medical examination with the participation of French experts to establish the cause of death and the nature of the bodily injuries found is currently being decided," he added.
Law enforcement agencies are continuing to establish all the circumstances surrounding the journalist's deprivation of liberty, her death, and the use of torture against her.
Death of Viktoriia Roshchyna in Russian captivity
On October 10, the father of Ukrainian journalist Viktoriia Roshchyna, winner of the 2022 Courage in Journalism Award, who was being held captive in Russia, was informed of her death during her transfer from Taganrog to Moscow. The information was later confirmed by the Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War.
Viktoriia Roshchyna went missing on August 3, 2023, in occupied territory while reporting from the area.
In May 2024, Russia acknowledged for the first time that it was holding Viktoriia Roshchyna captive.
Russia delayed returning the journalist's body to Ukraine for a long time.
The body of journalist Viktoriia Roshchyna was returned to Ukraine at the end of February, but this was not publicly announced until April 24.
