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A Ukrainian journalist who was captured by Russian troops while reporting from occupied east Ukraine has died in Russian detention, according to Ukrainian officials.
Victoria Roshchyna, who would have turned 28 this month, disappeared in August last year after travelling to Russian-held east Ukraine for a report.
She remained missing until April 2024, when her father received a letter from Moscow’s defence ministry saying she was being held in Russian detention, according to Ukraine’s main journalist union.
The circumstances of her arrest were not made public and it was not clear where she was being held inside Russia.
“Unfortunately, information about Victoria’s death has been confirmed,” said Petro Yatsenko, a spokesperson for Ukraine’s prisoner of war coordination headquarters on Thursday. “It is too early to talk about the circumstances of the death – we are working to establish them,” he added.
Press rights group Reporters Without Borders said on social media it was shocked by Roshchyna’s death and offered condolences to her relatives.
Russian news outlet Mediazona reported she had died while being transferred to Moscow from a prison in Taganrog, near the Ukrainian border.
Thousands of Ukrainians opposed to Moscow’s rule have been detained in occupied territories since Russia’s full-scale invasion began in 2022, many of whom face torture at the hands of security forces, according to rights groups.
Ukraine said in May more than two dozen Ukrainian media officials were being held in Russian captivity and that negotiations on their return were under way.
Roshchyna worked as a freelancer for various independent news outlets including Ukrainska Pravda and had collaborated with the Ukrainian service of US-funded media outlet Radio Free Europe.
In 2022, she was awarded the Courage in Journalism award by the International Women’s Media Foundation for her reporting from east Ukraine.
The Coalition For Women in Journalism said in a statement: “Roshchyna had been illegally imprisoned by Russian forces since 2023 and unlawfully moved across borders, already a violation of international law and a war crime.
“We hold the Kremlin directly responsible for her death. A brave truth-teller, Victoria risked her life to expose the horrors of war. Despite being repeatedly detained by Russian occupying forces, she continued to report on the devastation.
“She disappeared on assignment in August 2023 and was confirmed in Russian detention in May 2024.
“Women Press Freedom stands with her family and colleagues who fought tirelessly for her release. We are outraged and heartbroken by this news. Russia must be held accountable. We demand justice for this unimaginable loss. Her courage will never be forgotten.”
