EU comments on death of Ukrainian journalist Roshchyna in Russian captivity

The European Union has expressed its outrage over the death of Ukrainian journalist Viktoriia Roshchyna in Russian captivity. 

"The European Union is appalled by the reports about the death of Ukrainian freelance journalist [Viktoriia] Roshchyna while in illegal arbitrary Russian detention. Our thoughts are with her family, friends and colleagues," the press service of the European External Action Service stated.

The statement outlined what Viktoriia Roshchyna did and was known for, as well as the currently known circumstances of her death – she died during a transfer from a prison in Taganrog to Moscow. 

"Her fate is a tragic reminder of the many thousands of persons detained in occupied Ukrainian territories and Russia, as well as the repression imposed by Russian authorities, also in Russia," the statement said.

The statement stressed that Russia is fully responsible for the fate of the journalist after she was detained in the temporarily occupied territories.

"She is the thirteenth journalist to be killed since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The EU demands a thorough and independent investigation that clarifies all the circumstances of [Viktoriia] Roshchyna’s death as soon as possible.

The EU remains deeply concerned about Russia's ongoing harassment, intimidation and violence against journalists and media workers covering war zones... There can be no impunity for human rights violations and abuses against journalists. The EU reiterates its firm commitment to holding to account all perpetrators and accomplices of war crimes committed in connection with Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine," the statement reads. 

Roshchyna disappeared on 3 August 2023 in the Russian-occupied territory from where she was reporting.

In May 2024, Russia admitted for the first time that it had detained Roshchyna. The Russian Ministry of Defence sent a letter of confirmation to her father, Volodymyr Roshchyn.

On 10 October 2024, Petro Yatsenko, the head of the press service of the Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War, said during the 24/7 national joint newscast that Viktoriia Roshchyna had died in Russian custody. Defence Intelligence of Ukraine said that her body was to be brought back to Ukraine in the near future.

Later, Dmytro Lubinets, Ukrainian Parliamentary Commissioner for Human Rights, said that he had received confirmation of Roshchyna’s death from the Russian side.

The Office of the Prosecutor General reported that a criminal case opened over the disappearance of Ukrainian freelance writer Viktoriia Roshchyna has been reclassified as a war crime combined with premeditated murder. 

Read Viktoriia Roshchyna's articles on Ukrainska Pravda