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

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The Future of UK Nightlife: Is it Dying or Evolving?

Gregory Devine
Feb 5, 2024
3 min read

Person waiting outside a pub in manchester — Photo by Tak-Kei Wong on Unsplash

With nightclub chain PRYZM closing down most of its venues, is this the beginning of the end for the UK’s night scene or is this simply a new era?

Last year I genuinely believed that UK Nightlife for most UK cities was close to dying and there was certainly some truth to that. Many venues were either downsizing or closing down completely due to high rent, lack of income and lack of staff. Whilst this is still the case, I’ve noticed a trend of many new venues opening up and being successful in addition to smaller clubs expanding.

The lockdowns were brutal for nightclubs up and down the country. There was no way for these places to generate income but there was still expensive rent to pay. These clubs are in prime city centre locations and tend to be large plots too so understandably the rent isn’t cheap. Many larger venues were forced to close down and whilst some have returned many haven’t. Take one of Sheffield’s largest clubs CODE. It used to be packed out most nights but after not making money for a prolonged period they had no choice but to close. Whilst they’ve returned on the odd night for Halloween or freshers there’s been no sign of a permanent return.

I don’t believe this is due to a lack of customers. If anything I’ve noticed nights out becoming busier than previously, I believe that those going on a night out are looking for something different than the previous generation may have enjoyed. The big clubs playing cheesy pop hits just aren’t appealing to people anymore. People don’t tend to enjoy staying in one venue, they want to “crawl” between different smaller venues, each with their charms and quirks for a collective night out. I’ve noticed a lot of these smaller venues having started opening more nights of the week and many have even expanded. The smaller clubs also allow for promoters to rent the club out to put on their nights making the promotion the main event rather than the venue. It means the clubs don’t have to cater to a specific genre, they can just focus on creating a nice venue and then rent the club out to promote the theme of the night accordingly.

A busy London Pub — Photo by Gonzalo Sanchez on Unsplash

A great example of this is one of Newcastle’s most popular clubs TupTup Palace. It's by no means the biggest club in the city by size but probably is by popularity. The club opens every night apart from Mondays, every event is busy including Sundays. With each night being slightly different you’ll find some people will prefer a Wednesday to a Tuesday. This is perfect for TupTup as whilst they won’t have the same people attending each night they will have the same weekly visitors. Having that loyal customer base who will most likely attend their favourite night every week means the club is constantly getting heads through the door, selling tickets and drinks which leads to the most important thing; turning a profit.

Does this mean large clubs can’t exist anymore? Far from it, they’ve just had to evolve. There must now be a greater selling point than a “large club that plays pop music”. This is where raves come in. I don’t mean raves like in the 90s. These are organised nights where a lineup of popular DJs will each perform a set. The draw for the customer comes in a similar way to how a concert works. This is one of a few chances you will get to see your favourite artist so lots of people will want tickets to this one chance they have to see their favourite DJ in the city.

The Warehouse Project in Manchester is a great example of this. They use the huge old train shed at Depot Mayfield to create events with incredibly popular DJs. The line-ups will be different every weekend with different genres catered to. One night may be Drum and Bass with the next being Techno. Both are incredibly popular but don’t tend to be liked by the same people. When compared to how large clubs would have used an unknown DJ to play cheesy pop, these are well-renowned DJs with massive followings of fans desperate to see their sets. This gets people through the door, buying tickets and drinks which of course leads to profit.

Whilst many clubs have sadly closed their doors this, at least in my opinion, is due to them not evolving with the times. The UK night scene is still very much alive and active just not in the way it once was.

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

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6 May 2025

Paul Francis

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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

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
The Washington Post – Russia’s detention of civilians: secret prisons and torturehttps://www.washingtonpost.com/world/interactive/2025/russia-detention-ukraine-civilians-occupation
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/
Hromadske International – Victoria Roshchyna’s First-Person Account of Her 2022 Detentionhttps://en.hromadske.ua/posts/journalist-victoria-roshchyna-released-from-captivity
International Women’s Media Foundation (IWMF) – Courage in Journalism Award: Victoria Roshchyna (2022)https://www.iwmf.org/community/victoria-roshchyna/
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