Ukrainian journalist Roshchyna’s body returned without some organs, torture evident, cause of death likely concealed - investigation

Forbidden Stories, a Paris-based outlet continuing the work of killed or persecuted journalists, led an investigation into Roshchyna’s death with 45 journalists from 13 international media outlets, conducting over 50 interviews with former Russian prison detainees familiar with the system.

Roshchyna’s body was repatriated in February 2025 during an exchange of 757 fallen Ukrainian defenders’ remains, listed by Russia as an “unidentified male” with the cryptic marking “SPAS”.

The body, smaller and lighter than others, was identified as female during initial examination.

Despite its poor condition, investigators found a tag on the right shin reading “Roshchyna V.V.” A DNA test by the Ukrainian Prosecutor General’s Office confirmed a 99% match with Roshchyna, Ukrainska Pravda reported.

Yuriy Belousov, head of the office’s war crimes department, said the body showed multiple signs of torture, including abrasions, hemorrhages, a broken rib, and possible evidence of electric shock.

The investigation revealed the body bore signs of a Russian autopsy, with missing organs, including the brain, eyeballs, and part of the trachea.

An international forensic expert consulted by the project suggested the removal of these organs could obscure evidence of strangulation or asphyxiation, potentially constituting a war crime.

A bruise on Roshchyna’s neck indicated a possible hyoid bone fracture, a rare injury often linked to strangulation, the report noted.

The Russian marking “SPAS,” possibly meaning “total arterial damage to the heart,” may reflect an official cause of death.

Roshchyna’s father, Volodymyr, requested additional forensic examinations, unconvinced by initial findings, according to prosecutors.

Due to the body’s mummified state, the cause of death remains undetermined, and the Prosecutor General’s Office is arranging further tests with samples already collected, the report said.

The murder of Victoria Roshchina

Roshchyna went missing on August 3, 2023, in Russian-occupied territories. Russia confirmed her detention in May 2024, after previously holding her for 10 days in March 2022.

Her death was reported on October 10, 2024, via a letter from Russian officials to her father, later confirmed by Ukrainian authorities.

The Media Initiative for Human Rights stated she was held in Berdyansk’s Penal Colony No. 77 and Taganrog’s Pre-Trial Detention Center No. 2, known as one of Russia’s harshest facilities for Ukrainians.

Roshchyna worked for hromadske, Ukrainska Pravda, Radio Free Europe, and others, earning the International Women’s Media Foundation’s 2022 Courage in Journalism Award.