A Farewell to Courage: Honoring Viktoria Roshchyna's Legacy and Demanding Justice

Ukrainian journalist Viktoria Roshchyna was laid to rest in Kyiv on Friday, as her colleagues appealed for global intervention to secure the freedom of other Ukrainian reporters imprisoned by Russia. Hundreds gathered in central Kyiv for a solemn tribute honoring Roshchyna, 27, whose reporting offered key insights into life under Russian occupation.

"It is very sad... losing a professional who was braver than any of us," journalist Nataliya Gumenyuk told Reuters. Roshchyna disappeared during a 2023 assignment in Russia-controlled eastern Ukraine and died after a year in detention. Her fate highlights the persistent dangers confronting Ukrainian journalists.

The journalist's body, among those handed over by Russia earlier, showed signs of potential torture, according to Ukrainian authorities. Despite Russia's silence on the matter, the case fuels calls for increased political and international pressure to free detained reporters and highlights the challenges of war reporting.

(With inputs from agencies.)