Ukrainska Pravda freelance writer Viktoriia Roshchyna has died in Russian captivity

Viktoriia Roshchyna, a freelance writer for Ukrainska Pravda, has died in Russian captivity. Defence Intelligence of Ukraine (DIU) says the journalist had been due to return to Ukraine shortly. There has been no official confirmation of her death from the Russian Federation.

Source: Petro Yatsenko, head of the press service for the Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War, during the national joint 24/7 newscast; DIU representative Andrii Yusov in a comment to the Ukrainian public broadcaster Suspilne

Quote from Yatsenko: "Sadly, the information about Viktoriia's death has been confirmed.

We knew Viktoriia. In 2022, she was writing material at the coordination headquarters, so this is extremely sad news for us and for the whole of Ukrainian journalism."

Details: Yatsenko said it is too early to discuss the circumstances surrounding Viktoriia's death, as they are currently under investigation.

Yusov also revealed on Thursday that Roshchyna was to have been included in an upcoming prisoner swap. She had been due to be transferred to Lefortovo prison in Moscow in preparation for her return to Ukraine.

Quote from Yusov: "She was supposed to have been home soon; everything necessary had been done."

In a comment to Ukrainska Pravda, Andrii Yusov stated that as yet there has been no official confirmation from Russia. Ukraine’s Defence Intelligence received this information and is currently verifying it.

Background:

• Roshchyna was captured by the Russians in March 2022 and held in the occupied city of Berdiansk for ten days.
• On 25 July, Roshchyna left Ukraine for Poland, planning to make the three-day journey via Russia to the occupied part of Ukraine's east.
• Roshchyna disappeared on 3 August 2023 in the Russian-occupied territory she was reporting from.
• It was not until May 2024 that Russia admitted to having detained Roshchyna. Russia's Defence Ministry sent a letter confirming this to her father, Volodymyr Roshchyn.

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