Ukrainian journalist Viktoriia Roshchyna, who died in Russian captivity, was tortured and had organs removed before her body was returned, according to a joint media report published Tuesday through Forbidden Stories, a nonprofit media organization.
In February, Russia returned Roshchyna's emaciated body with signs of torture and some organs removed, possibly to hide further traces of torture, said the report by media outlets including The Washington Post, The Guardian, Ukrainska Pravda, and iStories, citing Ukrainian prosecutors.
The forensic examination "revealed numerous signs of torture and ill-treatment", the prosecutors were quoted as saying.
These included "a broken rib, neck injuries, and possible electric shock marks on her feet," according to Yuriy Belousov, head of the War Crimes Unit at the Ukrainian Prosecutor General's office.
Despite a high DNA match, the journalist's father does not believe the body is his daughter's and he has requested further forensic analyses.
Roshchyna went missing in 2023 while in Russian-occupied territories in southeast Ukraine investigating alleged torture prisons. She was 27 years old at the time.
Ukrainian journalists rarely go to Russian-occupied areas because of the high risks. Roshchyna is the first known Ukrainian journalist to die in Russian captivity.
Ukraine urged the international community to respond to the report. "The issue of civilian hostages abducted and held by Russia requires increased international attention and immediate and strong response," foreign ministry spokesman Georgiy Tykhy said.
Thousands of Ukrainian civilians are held in Russian prisons or in occupied areas of Ukraine, where many are tortured and deprived of correspondence, according to NGOs and media reports. Last year, BBC Russia reported that thousands of Ukrainian civilians, including journalists, in Russian custody were being held without charges or access to legal counsel.
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