Director of the Media Initiative for Human Rights: Roshchyna was taken out of Taganrog before the first of two exchanges on September 13-14

Victoria Roshchyna was taken out of her cell in Taganrog on the eve of the first of two exchanges scheduled for September 13 and 14. However, she was not part of either exchange, and there have been no exchanges since. Therefore, it cannot be definitively stated that Victoria died during preparations for the exchange.

This was announced by the executive director of the Media Initiative for Human Rights (MIPL), Tetyana Katrychenko, during an appearance on Hromadske Radio.

According to Katrychenko, if Roshchyna was moved from Taganrog in preparation for the September exchanges, she could have been held at a specific location for this purpose.

«But we know that on neither September 13 nor 14 was Victoria involved in the exchanges. Since no exchanges took place after September 14, the question arises: where was she taken, if not for these two possible exchanges? It remains unknown. We also don’t know whether she was even supposed to be part of the exchanges, because she wasn’t», — Katrychenko explained.

Katrychenko also commented on reports that Victoria had been transferred from Taganrog to Lefortovo (Moscow region). She stated that this is possible, as prisoners are often moved between Lefortovo, Taganrog, and Rostov. For example, a prisoner might be investigated in Lefortovo, but if charged with terrorism, they would be sent to Rostov for trial.

«But I don’t have definitive confirmation (and likely no one does) that Victoria was being prepared for exchange. The exchanges took place, and she wasn’t there. Was she supposed to be in the following exchanges? Perhaps. But why was she taken to Moscow, then? These questions remain open», — said the MIPL representative.

Katrychenko emphasized that it is difficult to determine the exact time of Victoria Roshchyna’s death. Only the Russian side can provide official information to Ukrainian authorities. In the public sphere, we are unlikely to see an official document regarding the cause and date of her death.

Disappearance

Victoria Roshchyna disappeared on August 3, 2023, in the temporarily occupied territories. In May 2024, Russia confirmed for the first time that she was being held captive.

In March 2022, Roshchyna had also been detained by Russian security forces while preparing materials on military operations in the Zaporizhzhia and Donetsk regions. She had planned to reach Mariupol to document the reality of daily shelling by Russian troops. After 10 days in captivity, she was released.

Before her capture, Roshchyna worked as a journalist for Hromadske for many years. After her release in March 2022, she continued writing for various Ukrainian media outlets.

In the spring and summer of 2022, she worked as a freelance writer for Hromadske Radio, and later published articles in «Ukrainian Pravda» and «Radio Svoboda.» In 2022, she received the International Women’s Media Foundation’s «Courage in Journalism» award.

Death of Victoria Roshchyna in Captivity

Her father learned of her death through an official letter from the Russian side, though at that time the information was still being verified. People’s Deputy Yaroslav Yurchyshyn reported on Hromadske Radio that Roshchyna had previously declared a hunger strike due to inhumane treatment.

Petro Yatsenko, a representative of the Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War, also confirmed Roshchyna’s death. It is known that she was being prepared for a prisoner exchange.

According to Yatsenko, the exact circumstances of her death are still under investigation. He confirmed that Roshchyna was being prepared for exchange, but «unfortunately, we ran out of time.»

«The fact that she was being transferred from Taganrog to Moscow was part of her preparation for release,» he said.

Former prisoner of the «DPR,» volunteer, and public figure Lyudmila Huseynova reported that Roshchyna died on September 19. According to her, Roshchyna’s body will be returned to Ukraine during the next exchange of bodies.

The Verkhovna Rada Commissioner for Human Rights, Dmytro Lubinets, confirmed that he had received official documentation from the Russian side regarding Roshchyna’s death.

«I have official documentary confirmation from the Russian side about the death of Ukrainian journalist Victoria Roshchyna, who was illegally deprived of her freedom by Russia. My sincere condolences to Victoria’s family and friends,» he wrote.

Lubinets added that the cause of Roshchyna’s death in Russian captivity remains unknown.

He also informed the UN and the International Committee of the Red Cross to officially record the death of a civilian illegally detained by the Russian Federation.