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Journalism on the Frontline: The Life and Death of Victoria Roshchyna

  • Writer: Paul Francis
    Paul Francis
  • May 6
  • 3 min read

In an age where truth is often a casualty of war, Ukrainian journalist Victoria Roshchyna stood as a defiant exception. A fearless voice amidst chaos, her commitment to reporting from the frontlines of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine cost her everything—including, ultimately, her life.


Back view of a person wearing a "PRESS" vest walking through rubble in a war-torn city, with a somber, tense mood.
AI image of Press officer in a Warzone

A Promising Voice from Zaporizhzhia

Born in 1996 in the industrial city of Zaporizhzhia, Victoria Roshchyna began her journalistic career young, covering courts and crime as a teenager. But it was the seismic shock of Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022 that reshaped her path—and gave rise to some of the most courageous journalism of the war.


Working with outlets such as Hromadske, Ukrainska Pravda, and Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Roshchyna became known for going where few dared. She reported from the besieged city of Mariupol, from occupied territories, and from communities terrorised by Russian shelling. Her focus wasn’t just on bombs and battle lines, but on the people living through them.


Victoria Roshchyna First Detention - and Defiant Return

In March 2022, Roshchyna was detained by Russian forces while reporting in Berdiansk, southeastern Ukraine. She was held for 10 days, subjected to interrogation, and coerced into recording a video thanking her captors. The experience would shake many—but not Victoria.

She published her harrowing account of that detention, then returned to the front. Later that year, she was awarded the International Women’s Media Foundation’s Courage in Journalism Award—an honour she declined to collect in person, choosing instead to continue her work in the field.


Disappearance in Occupied Territory

On August 3, 2023, Roshchyna vanished while investigating alleged secret detention facilities near the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant—an area under Russian control. For months, her family and colleagues pleaded for answers. Russian authorities refused to confirm her whereabouts until April 2024.


By then, it was too late.


Torture and Tragedy

According to official statements, Roshchyna died on September 19, 2024, during a transfer to Moscow, allegedly as part of a prisoner exchange. But the circumstances of her death—and the condition of her body—told a far more disturbing story.


Her remains were returned to Ukraine months later, mislabelled as those of an “unidentified male.” Forensic experts discovered her body bore signs of extreme torture: broken bones, electrocution marks, and the removal of her eyes, brain, and larynx—presumably to hide evidence of how she died.


She had been held in Penal Colony No. 77 in Berdiansk, and later transferred to SIZO-2, the notorious pre-trial detention centre in Taganrog. Investigations by human rights groups have linked both sites to systemic torture, starvation, and abuse of Ukrainian detainees.


A Chilling Pattern

Roshchyna’s death fits a grim pattern of violence against journalists in occupied Ukraine. Her case is a searing indictment of how the Kremlin seeks not only to suppress information—but to punish those brave enough to uncover it.


Her story also speaks to a broader crisis: the dangers facing reporters who challenge authoritarian narratives, especially women. Despite the personal risk, Roshchyna refused to be silenced. And for that, she paid the ultimate price.


Remembering Victoria

Tributes have poured in from around the world, honouring Roshchyna as a symbol of fearless journalism. But perhaps the most enduring tribute is the legacy of her reporting—accounts that give voice to civilians under occupation, to families ripped apart, and to lives lived under threat.


Her colleagues remember her as warm, sharp-witted, and deeply committed to the truth. “She wanted to show the human face of war,” one wrote. “And she never stopped trying.”

In remembering Victoria Roshchyna, we are reminded of the essential—and dangerous—role of journalism in conflict. Her story must not be forgotten. Her work must continue.




Citations and Sources

  1. The Guardian – ‘Numerous signs of torture’: a Ukrainian journalist's detention and death in Russian prisonhttps://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/apr/29/viktoriia-roshchyna-ukrainian-journalist-death-russian-prison

  2. The Washington Post – Russia’s detention of civilians: secret prisons and torturehttps://www.washingtonpost.com/world/interactive/2025/russia-detention-ukraine-civilians-occupation

  3. Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) – Ukrainian Journalist Missing In Russian-Occupied Area Has Been Detained, Relatives Sayhttps://www.rferl.org/a/ukrainian-journalist-roshchyna-missing-russia-detention/

  4. Hromadske International – Victoria Roshchyna’s First-Person Account of Her 2022 Detentionhttps://en.hromadske.ua/posts/journalist-victoria-roshchyna-released-from-captivity

  5. International Women’s Media Foundation (IWMF) – Courage in Journalism Award: Victoria Roshchyna (2022)https://www.iwmf.org/community/victoria-roshchyna/

  6. New York Post – Body of Ukrainian journalist returned with signs of torturehttps://nypost.com/2025/04/29/world-news/body-of-ukrainian-journalist-kidnapped-by-russia-returned-with-eyes-brain-removed-likely-to-hide-signs-of-torture-report

Live Forever? Oasis might do just that!

Live Forever? Oasis might do just that!

15 May 2025

Mollie Waiton

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Stop crying your heart out, Oasis is reuniting! The moment fans have been dreaming of for 15 years, Liam and Noel Gallagher have put their differences aside to put on a show, touring the UK. 


Talk Tonight? Clearly, they finally did!


Concert crowd with raised hands silhouetted against bright stage lights. The atmosphere is energetic and lively, with a smoky background.


Oasis's rise to fame started in 1991, in Manchester. Liam Gallagher was the singer, and Noel the guitarist and songwriter. Their album Definitely Maybe, released in 1994, became the fastest-selling debut in UK history at the time. This was then followed by (What's the Story) Morning Glory?, released in 1995, which included Wonderwall, Don’t Look Back in Anger, and Champagne Supernova, all now iconic songs. Alongside Blur, they became the face of Britpop. Oasis are unique because they symbolised 1990s working-class pride and British spirit through both their personalities and their music. They famously played to over 250,000 fans over two nights at Knebworth in 1996. Oasis eventually split in 2009 in Paris after Noel said that he "simply could not go on working with Liam." Both brothers moved on to solo careers, throwing jabs at each other in interviews and on social media.


Once this iconic duo split, Noel Gallagher formed Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds, which earned him successful solo albums. Liam Gallagher formed Beady Eye with other former Oasis bandmates and later released his own solo albums, As You Were and Why Me? Why Not. Liam often begged for Oasis to reunite, but Noel didn’t like the idea and said it was "not worth it." Both Gallagher brothers hinted at a reunion; for example, Liam aimed songs at Noel during live shows, and Noel hinted that "the door was never completely closed" in an interview in 2023.


When Oasis finally confirmed the reunion, the initial announcement included a world tour, starting with major UK cities. However, there are rumours that they could headline Glastonbury, Reading, and Leeds. Noel and Liam are both involved, but Bonehead and Guigsy’s return hasn’t been confirmed. They have also hinted at making one or two new tracks to perform on the tour, but Noel has said that they want to "celebrate the old songs first." The main focus will be on Definitely Maybe and (What's the Story) Morning Glory?. In their interviews, it is clear that there is still tension between the two, but they are putting their differences aside for the fans and, most likely, the money. So even though they say they’ve made peace, I say we shouldn’t put our lives in the hands of a rock ’n’ roll band just yet.


The Oasis reunion isn’t just another tour; it’s history, the revival of an era that shaped Britpop. Fans never thought they would see the day. However, I think we are all wondering: can the Gallagher brothers really stay civil? Maybe they will live forever… or at least long enough to play Wonderwall one more time.

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