Ukraine opens criminal case over journalist’s death in Russian captivity

The Security Service of Ukraine has opened a criminal investigation into the reported death of Ukrainian journalist Viktoria Roshchyna in Russian captivity, according to the press service of the Prosecutor General’s Office.

On 3 August 2023, Roshchyna went missing during a trip to Russian-occupied territories in Ukraine. A month earlier, she had traveled from Ukraine to Poland and was supposed to reach the occupied territories in eastern Ukraine via Russia within three days.

In 2024, Russia officially confirmed for the first time that it was illegally holding Roshchyna, reported UkrInform.

On 10 October, Yaroslav Yurchyshyn, head of the Ukrainian Parliament’s Committee on Freedom of Speech, said that Viktoria’s father had received notification of her death, which reportedly occurred on 19 September.

Previously, Ukraine was investigating her disappearance, but the case has now been reclassified as murder.

“On 10 October, media reported the death of Ukrainian journalist Viktoria Roshchyna, whom the Russian Federation had illegally detained.

In connection with the information, the criminal case launched under Part 1 of Article 438 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (violation of the laws and customs of war) has been reclassified under Part 2 of Article 438 on violation of the laws and customs of war and intentional murder,” Ukrainian prosecutors stated.

The Main Investigation Department of the Security Service of Ukraine will conduct the pre-trial investigation into the case under the procedural guidance of the Prosecutor General’s Office.

Earlier, Petro Yatsenko, a representative of Ukraine’s Coordination Headquarters on Prisoners of War, reported that efforts were being made to secure Viktoria’s release from captivity.

He also noted that she had been transferred from Taganrog to Moscow as part of the preparations for her release.

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