Russia returns Ukrainian journalist's body without 'internal organs' leaving people outraged over alleged torture
A joint media report into the death of late journalist Viktoriia Roshchyna has revealed that the young woman's body was returned home without her internal organs.
Viktoriia disappeared shortly after the war between Russia and Ukraine first broke out in February 2022 and was sent to the occupied city of Berdiansk to report on the conflict.
She was employed by a Ukrainian broadcaster who said that she had been taken by Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB).
The news outlet said at the time on social media: "Our journalist Victoria Roshchyna is held captive by the Russian occupiers. She was reporting from hotspots in Eastern and Southern Ukraine since the beginning of the Russian-Ukrainian war.
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"On March 12, we couldn't contact Victoria."
The journalist was captured by a soldier and turned over to agents of the FSB before being released again a few days later following public outcry.
But this wasn't her last run in with the Russians and Viktoriia went missing again in August 2023.
Questions long remained about her whereabouts until it was confirmed in April 2024 that she was being held captive once more, The Guardian says.
Tragically, she ended up dying in captivity in September of last year. She was just 27-years-old.
It's believed Viktoriia was tortured while being held and her body has since been returned to Ukraine. She is the only known Ukrainian journalist to date to die in Russian captivity, says Forbidden Stories.
Viktoriia's remains was just one of the 757 corpses reported to have been returned to Ukraine from Russia in February.
According to a joint media report, as per CBS News, Viktoriia's body had 'signs of torture and some organs removed, possibly to hide further traces of torture'.
Yuriy Belousov, the head of the War Crimes Unit at the Ukrainian Prosecutor General’s office, said: "The forensic examination revealed numerous signs of torture and ill-treatment on the victim’s body, including abrasions and haemorrhages on various parts of the body, a broken rib, neck injuries, and possible electric shock marks on her feet."
He added that the 27-year-old's body was returned to her home country 'with signs of an autopsy that was performed before arrival in Ukraine'.
She died while being transported from a detention facility in southern Russia’s Taganrog to Moscow, The Independent reports.
If you have experienced a bereavement and would like to speak with someone in confidence, contact GrieveWell on (734) 975-0238, or email [email protected].
Topics: Ukraine, Russia, News, World News
Niamh Shackleton