Victoriia Roshchyna: The Ukrainian Journalist Murdered by Russia for Telling the Truth

Journalist in Ukraine

Ine Iversen

The world is heartbroken and outraged by the tragic death of Ukrainian journalist Victoriia Roshchyna in Russian captivity. But let’s be clear: she didn’t simply die; she was murdered. Russia’s documented, horrific treatment of prisoners of war (POWs) makes this a stark reality. The lack of international outrage surrounding this incident is terrifying, and it speaks to a broader issue—Russia’s flagrant disregard for humanitarian law and the global community’s failure to act decisively.

A Journalist Held Captive by Russia

Victoriia Roshchyna, a courageous Ukrainian journalist, should never have been in Russian captivity. The last piece of information Russia provided was chilling: she died during a transfer from Taganrog to Moscow, where she was supposedly being prepared for a prisoner exchange. That, tragically, never happened.

What makes her death even more painful is the date—October 6th, her birthday. She would have turned 28. Now, we are left to wonder if she even lived to see that day. What horrors did she endure at the hands of Russian forces before taking her last breath? Victoriia was not just another casualty; she was a young woman whose mission in life was to tell the stories of those trapped under occupation, and for that, she paid the ultimate price.

The Dangers of Telling the Truth

Victoriia was one of the many brave Ukrainian journalists dedicated to showing the world the reality of life under Russian occupation. Reporting from occupied territories is an incredibly risky task—Russian forces are known to detain people on fabricated charges, subjecting them to sham trials and illegal imprisonment.

It’s rare to hear honest accounts from the occupied regions of Ukraine. Russian-controlled narratives often dominate the discourse, especially when guns are pointed at the heads of Ukrainians forced to deliver scripted messages. But journalists like Victoriia fight to tell the truth. And there is a reason Russia suppresses free speech and denies access to journalists: the trail of Russian crimes is long, and they will do anything to hide it.

A Birthday Never Reached

October 6th should have been a day to celebrate Victoriia’s 28th birthday. Instead, we are left mourning a life cut short. Victoriia had traveled from Poland to Russia on July 25, 2023, determined to enter the occupied territories to report on life under Russian control. The last anyone heard from her was on August 3rd, when she reported passing several checkpoints but was unable to disclose her location. After that, silence.

It took Russia nine months to even admit they were holding her captive. Under international law, capturing forces must immediately notify the prisoner’s home country of their whereabouts, status, and provide a photo ID. But Russia has consistently ignored these rules, treating international law as a mere suggestion.

A History of Harassment

This was not the first time Victoriia had been detained by Russian forces. On March 12, 2022, she traveled from Zaporizhzhia to Mariupol to interview civilians about life under Russian occupation. Along the way, she was repeatedly harassed and questioned at checkpoints, with Russian soldiers claiming she had no business being there, despite her rights as a journalist.

Russia, the oppressor of truth, then sought to frame and arrest her. Men in civilian clothes and black balaclavas interrogated her, searched her belongings, and accused her of being a propagandist and a spy. She was offered a chance to “cooperate” by creating a Russian-scripted propaganda video. When she refused, she was illegally taken into custody by the Russian FSB.

Victoriia described how they blindfolded her and led her away. She shouted that she was a journalist and that people would come looking for her, but her pleas fell on deaf ears. For a week, she was held captive in appalling conditions. She recounted being guarded by Chechens and Dagestanis, forced to sleep on the floor with only a blanket, and repeatedly told, “You’ll be released when we take Kyiv.” Her captors manipulated and tormented her, reminding her daily that they had no conscience, and the law did not apply to them.

“They would say, ‘If you are buried here, no one will ever know, and no one will ever find you,’” she wrote. Fortunately, she was released after a week in captivity, but her belongings were never returned.

Russia’s Disregard for Humanitarian Law

Five months after her first detention, Victoriia was captured again. This time, she would not return.

Russia’s refusal to obey international laws is blatant. By their own admission, they operate with a lawless mentality. And yet, despite countless violations, Russia has yet to face significant consequences from the international community. This lack of accountability is both alarming and unacceptable.

The very institutions responsible for upholding peace and justice—the United Nations, the Red Cross—have been largely absent or ineffective. They hide behind neutrality while catering to the aggressor, leaving journalists like Victoriia vulnerable and powerless in the face of tyranny.

Victoriia’s Legacy: A Call for Justice

Victoriia Roshchyna fought for the truth. She gave a voice to those who were silenced under Russian occupation, ensuring their stories were heard and their lives were seen. For that, Russia took her life. But her work must not be forgotten.

It is now up to us to demand justice for Victoriia and all Ukrainians held captive by Russia. We must be louder, more insistent, and demand that our leaders hold Russia accountable for its war crimes and its continued disobedience of international law. The world cannot stand by while such atrocities occur.

For Victoriia. For Ukraine.

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Ine in Ukraine