Former Taganrog detention center chief personally ordered torture of Ukrainian journalist Roshchina – National Police

Ukrainian law enforcement and intelligence agencies have collected evidence and restored the chronology of the illegal transfer and detention in a Russian detention center of Ukrainian journalist Viktoria Roshchina: the former head of the pre-trial detention center in Taganrog personally gave orders to torture the Ukrainian woman, he was informed of the suspicion of a war crime.

On Thursday, the National Police website reported that investigators of the Main Investigation Department of the National Police, with the operational support of the Criminal Investigation Department and assistance of the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine, documented the circumstances of the crime, collected witness statements, restored the chronology of the illegal transfer and detention of the victim, and also recorded violations of international humanitarian law.

"During the period of the suspect's leadership in pre-trial detention center No. 2 in Taganrog, Rostov region, a system of repressive treatment of illegally detained citizens of Ukraine, including civilians, was organized. Among the victims is a well-known Ukrainian journalist, detained by Russian military personnel in the temporarily occupied territory of Zaporizhia region and transferred to this detention center," the National Police of Ukraine said in a statement on its website on Thursday.

The report did not specify the name of the victim journalist, but referred to Viktoria Roshchina, who was tortured in Russian captivity.

According to the National Police, in this pre-trial detention center, the journalist was subjected to systematic torture, humiliation, threats, severe restrictions on access to medical care, drinking water and food, and was also deprived of the opportunity to sleep or sit during the day.

In addition, as the report notes, she was subjected to physical punishment and psychological pressure with the requirement to cooperate with the institution's administration.

The investigation proved that these crimes were organized intentionally: "the head of the pre-trial detention center personally gave orders to his subordinates to apply physical and moral pressure to the journalist."

"Aware of her civilian status and protection guaranteed by international humanitarian law, he deliberately violated the norms of the Geneva Convention and other international treaties," the report said.

The actions of the defendant were qualified as a war crime in accordance with international standards, he was informed of suspicion under Part 2 of Article 28, Part 1 of Article 438 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine - cruel treatment of the civilian population, committed by a group of persons in a prior conspiracy.

The pre-trial investigation is ongoing. The police are identifying other persons involved in war crimes against Ukrainian prisoners.

The Prosecutor General's Office is supervising the proceedings.

Roshchina disappeared on August 3, 2023 from the territory occupied by Russia, from where she was reporting. Later, the SBU confirmed that the journalist had been captured by the Russians.

Roshchina's death became known on October 10, 2024. Defense Intelligence Agnecy of Ukraine representative Andriy Yusov reported that Roshchina was on the exchange lists and was due to return home in the near future.

In the spring of 2025, the Ukrainian side managed to return the body of the journalist killed in Russian captivity.

Yuriy Belousov, head of the Department for Combating Crimes Committed in Armed Conflict at the Prosecutor General's Office, reported at the time that experts were establishing the circumstances of Roshchina's torture in enemy captivity, and the body was also being re-identified.

He stressed that the results of the examination of the victim's body revealed numerous signs of torture and ill-treatment: "In particular, abrasions and hemorrhages on various parts of the body, a broken rib. The experts also saw possible signs of the use of electric current. This information will also be clarified during additional forensic examination." According to an investigation by the international organization Forbidden Stories, Russia returned the body of Ukrainian journalist Viktoria Roshchina, who died in captivity, without some internal organs, presumably in order to hide the cause of her death. On August 1, 2025, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy signed a decree awarding Roshchina the Order of Freedom posthumously.

Roshchina worked at Ukrainian Radio, UA:Pershy, hromadske, Ukrainska Pravda, Novosti Donbasa, Censor.net and Radio Free Liberty/Radio Europe.