EU Condemns Russia Over Torture and Death of Ukrainian Journalist Viktoriia Roshchyna

The European Commission has strongly condemned the circumstances surrounding the death of Ukrainian journalist Viktoriia Roshchyna, who was tortured and killed while in Russian captivity. Speaking at a daily press briefing on April 30, Commission spokesperson Anitta Hipper said the details uncovered by an international journalistic investigation further demonstrate the brutality of the Russian regime and confirm that life under Russian occupation poses a mortal threat to Ukrainians.

Hipper highlighted the findings of the investigation into Roshchyna’s case, which was led by the Forbidden Stories network and included over 40 journalists from 13 international media outlets. They conducted more than 50 interviews with former detainees, ex-prison guards, and human rights advocates. Hipper emphasized that Roshchyna’s death was not only a result of murder but also of systematic torture, saying her courage will be remembered and reaffirming the EU's commitment to holding Russia accountable for war crimes and atrocities.

The investigation revealed that Roshchyna's body, returned to Ukraine in late February, was severely mutilated and labeled in Russian documents as that of an "unidentified male" with the tag number 757. A forensic examination in Ukraine later confirmed the body was female and identified it as Roshchyna’s with 99% DNA certainty. Her body was reportedly subjected to a prior autopsy in Russia before being handed over.

Ukrainian forensic experts found multiple signs of torture, including potential electrocution, and evidence suggesting she may have been strangled — a suspicion supported by a fractured hyoid bone and bruising on her neck. Crucial internal organs such as the brain, eyes, and part of the trachea were missing, with experts suggesting this could have been an attempt to conceal the cause of death.

The body was also marked with the Russian acronym "SPAS," which reportedly refers to a "total failure of the arteries of the heart" and may have been used to fabricate an official explanation for her death. Due to the state of the body, forensic experts have not been able to determine the precise cause of death.

Roshchyna, 27, disappeared in August 2023 while reporting from territories occupied by Russian forces. Moscow acknowledged her detention only in 2024. Ukraine confirmed her death on October 10, 2024, though Russia claims she died on September 19. Her remains were withheld by Russian authorities for around five months.

According to the Media Initiative for Human Rights, Roshchyna had been held in at least two facilities notorious for torture: penal colony No. 77 in Russian-occupied Berdiansk and detention center No. 2 in Taganrog, Russia. Notably, this was not the first time she had been detained—back in March 2022, she was held for ten days by Russia’s FSB while leaving Berdiansk. At that time, she was coerced into recording a video stating that Russian forces had saved her life.