Latest news with #Hromadske
Yahoo
24-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Blockbuster shopping centre in Kyiv damaged in Russian nighttime attack
The Blockbuster shopping and entertainment centre has been damaged in a Russian drone attack on the night of 23-24 May. Source: Ukrainian public broadcaster Hromadske Details: A Russian drone or debris hit the roof of the shopping centre. Repair crews are dealing with the aftermath of the hit. The aftermath of the Russian attack. Photo: Vlad Safronov, Hromadske Reports indicate that the shopping centre is open and welcomes visitors despite the attack. "Many stores are open, but some are still closed, such as the Sinsay clothing store, which was the most affected in the attack," Hromadske added. Background: An air-raid warning was issued in Kyiv on the evening of 23 May due to the threat of Russian attack drones and later ballistic missiles. People are reported to have been injured in Kyiv Oblast and the capital. Rescue workers are dealing with the aftermath of the strikes across multiple sites in the city. A fire broke out in flats on the 3rd and 4th floors of a 5-storey residential building in the Solomianskyi district. Firefighters contained the fire using 30 personnel and 8 fire appliances. A fire broke out on the balconies of a 9-storey building on the 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th floors in the Obolonskyi district. A fire broke out in a one-storey non-residential building for the storage of paints and varnishes in the Sviatoshynskyi district in the Russian attack overnight. Efforts to deal with the aftermath of the strikes are ongoing. Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon!
Yahoo
30-04-2025
- Yahoo
Missing Organs and 'Numerous Signs of Torture': Body of Ukrainian Journalist Who Died in Russian Captivity Raises Questions
The body of Ukrainian journalist Victoria Roshchyna was returned to her home country showing 'numerous signs of torture' after months in Russian detention, according to CNN. Roshchyna went missing in August 2023 while on assignment interviewing residents in a Russian-held part of Ukraine for the online media outlet Ukrainska Pravda. She was detained by Russian forces and deported to Russia, though the country did not admit to holding her captive until nine months after her father first reported her missing. She was dead by September 2024, but Russia did not notify her family until a month later. Her remains were returned as part of a body exchange between the nations in February 2025. They were initially labeled as 'an unidentified male,' though multiple DNA analyses later confirmed Roshchyna's identity. She was 27 years old. Related: Dozens of World Leaders Rush to Ukraine's Defense After Peace Talks with Trump Crumble: 'You'll Never Walk Alone' Yuriy Belousov, head of the war crimes department at the Ukrainian Prosecutor General's Office, said that forensic examination of Roshchyna's body found 'numerous signs of torture and ill-treatment… including abrasions and hemorrhages on various parts of the body, a broken rib and possible traces of electric shock.' According to Belousov, it was determined that the injuries were sustained while Roshchyna was still alive. Her fellow journalists at Ukrainska Pravda also said her body was missing organs, including her brain, eyeballs and part of her trachea. They speculated that her captors may have removed the organs in order to obscure her cause of death. As of now, the state of Roshchyna's body has made it too difficult to determine how she died, but Belousov said Ukraine is enlisting the help of international forensic experts. Related: Trump Escalates Feud with Zelenskyy over Ukrainian President's Latest Remark: 'Worst Statement That Could've Been Made' Roshchyna's friends and colleagues paid tribute to her with a commemoration ceremony in Kyiv on Oct. 11, 2024. Evgeniya Motorevskaya, who worked with Roshchyna at the Ukrainian media outlet Hromadske, praised her late friend's tenacity and courage. 'For her, there was nothing more important than journalism. Vika was always where the most important events for the country took place. And she would have continued to do this for many years, but the Russians killed her,' she wrote in a statement published on Hromadske's website. Never miss a story — sign up for to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer. In May 2024, CNN documented reports on Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) officers' alleged use of electrocution and sexual violence to torture detained Ukrainians. 'They were obviously having fun when spinning the dynamo, asking me, 'Do you want to call Zelenskyy?' ' said civilian volunteer Oleksii Sivak, recounting his arrest and torture at the hands of the FSB. Of the direct current generator used to electrocute him during torture sessions, Sivak recalled, "They called it 'the lie detector.' " Read the original article on People
NDTV
30-04-2025
- Politics
- NDTV
Ukrainian Journalist Tortured, Had Organs Removed In Russian Custody: Report
Quick Take Summary is AI generated, newsroom reviewed. Ukrainian journalist Viktoriia Roshchyna was found dead after being captured by Russian forces, suffering extensive torture. Her body showed signs of an autopsy and missing organs, raising suspicions of war crimes. A recent investigation by media organisations has shed light on the tragic death of Ukrainian journalist Viktoriia Roshchyna, who was captured by Russian forces in 2023 while reporting on the illegal detention and torture of Ukrainians in the occupied region of Zaporizhzhia. According to a forensic examination of her body, Roshchyna, 27, suffered extensive torture and ill-treatment, including "abrasions and hemorrhages on various parts of the body, a broken rib, neck injuries, and possible electric shock marks on her feet," as described by Yuriy Belousov, head of the War Crimes Unit at the Ukrainian Prosecutor General's office. Belousov also noted that Roshchyna's body showed signs of an autopsy having been performed before it was returned to Ukraine, and that some of her organs were missing. The missing organs could signal that Russia attempted to hide the cause of death, possibly to conceal that it had committed a war crime, Belousov said. Roshchyna's colleagues at Ukrainska Pravda said, citimg members of the investigating team, that her brain, eyeballs, trachea were missing. Roshchyna's death has sparked widespread condemnation, with Sevgil Musaieva, her editor at Ukrainska Pravda, describing her as a dedicated journalist who saw reporting from Russian-occupied territories as a mission. "Viktoriia was the only reporter who covered the occupied territories. For her, it was a mission," Musaieva said. The Committee to Protect Journalists also condemned Roshchyna's death, stating that Russia was responsible. Ukrainian officials have raised concerns about the thousands of citizens being held in Russian custody without charges or access to legal counsel. "The issue of civilian hostages abducted and held by Russia requires increased international attention and immediate and strong response," Ukrainian foreign ministry spokesman Georgiy Tykhy said. One of her colleagues at Hromadske, a Ukrainian media outlet said that, 'For her, there was nothing more important than journalism. Vika was always where the most important events for the country took place. And she would have continued to do this for many years, but the Russians killed her,' said in a statement published on Hromadske's website. Meanwhile, the conflict in Ukraine continues to escalate, with Russia launching a drone and missile attack on the cities of Kharkiv and Dnipro, killing at least one person and injuring 46. This comes as President Donald Trump claimed that Vladimir Putin wanted to stop the war, saying, "If it weren't for me, I think he'd want to take over the whole country", Trump told ABC News.
Yahoo
30-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Kyiv mourns woman killed in Russian attack, leaving behind 18-month-old daughter and husband who survived captivity
Anna Polishchuk lived with her family in an apartment on the first floor of a residential building in Kyiv's Sviatoshynskyi district. A Russian missile killed her and destroyed their home during the large-scale attack on the city on 24 April. Source: UP. Life Details: A funeral and farewell ceremony for Anna took place on 30 April, Radio Liberty has reported. Anna is survived by her 18-month-old daughter and her husband, Oleksandr, who was taken prisoner in 2022 and lost his sight in one eye as a result. A neighbour and friend of the family said Anna's daughter is now living with him and his wife. "What happens next remains to be seen. Because Sasha [Oleksandr – ed.] has been left without a home. I hope the state will pay attention to this. Sasha has given a lot for this country," he said. Speaking to Hromadske immediately after the tragedy, Oleksandr, Anna's husband, said "it all happened very fast". He managed to shield their 18-month-old daughter with his body. A neighbour found him under the rubble. His wife, who had been in the next room, died in the ambulance. Background: On 24 April, Russia launched a combined strike, firing 215 missiles and drones, most of which targeted Kyiv. Thirteen civilians were killed in the Russian attack. Among the dead were a brother and sister – Nikita, 21, and Sofia, 19. Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon!
Yahoo
30-04-2025
- Yahoo
Body of Ukrainian journalist who died in Russian detention returned by Moscow with signs of torture and with missing organs
The body of a young Ukrainian woman who died in Russian captivity after being held incommunicado for months was returned to Ukraine showing signs of torture, Ukrainian prosecutors have said. Kyiv said the remains of journalist Victoria Roshchyna, who went missing during a reporting trip, were returned as part of a body exchange between Ukraine and Russia in February. Yuriy Belousov, who heads the war crimes department at the Ukrainian Prosecutor General's Office, said that forensic examination found 'numerous signs of torture and ill-treatment… including abrasions and hemorrhages on various parts of the body, a broken rib and possible traces of electric shock.' He said the experts have determined the injuries were sustained while Roshchyna was still alive. Russia is known to use electric shocks as a method of torture against detained Ukrainians, and the widespread nature of the practice was documented by CNN in the past. Belousov said that repeated DNA analyses confirmed the body belonged to Roshchyna, even though it reportedly arrived from Russia labeled as 'an unidentified male.' He said the state of the body made it impossible to determine the cause of Roshchyna's death, but added that Ukraine was working with international forensic experts to get more answers. Roshchyna's colleagues at Ukrainska Pravda said her body was returned from Russia with missing organs. Citing members of the investigating team who handled her remains, they said the brain, eyeballs and part of the trachea, or windpipe, were missing, in what they said could have been an attempt by Russia to disguise the cause of death. CNN has reached out to the Russian Federal Commissioner for Human Rights Tatyana Moskalkova and to the Russian penitentiary services for comment. Roshchyna went missing in August 2023. Her colleagues said the reporter went to a Russian-held part of Ukraine – a dangerous ordeal for any Ukrainian – to report on the lives of people living under occupation. Journalist Evgeniya Motorevskaya, who worked with Roshchyna as the former editor of Hromadske, a Ukrainian media outlet, said the young reporter was determined to do her job as best as she could. 'For her, there was nothing more important than journalism. Vika was always where the most important events for the country took place. And she would have continued to do this for many years, but the Russians killed her,' she said in a statement published on Hromadske's website when Roshchyna's death was first announced, referring to her by her diminutive. Roshchyna's father first raised the alarm when she stopped responding to messages while on the assignment, but her family had no idea about her whereabouts until nine months later, when Moscow finally admitted it was holding her in detention. Like thousands of other Ukrainian civilians, Roshchyna was snatched by Russian authorities in occupied Ukraine and deported into Russia where she was held without charge or trial. By September 2024, Roshchyna, a healthy 27-year old, was dead – although her family didn't find out until about a month later, when they received a notification from Russia. Petro Yatsenko, spokesperson for the Ukrainian Coordination Center for the Treatment of Prisoners of War, said in October that Roshchyna died while being transferred from a detention facility in the southern Russian city of Taganrog to Moscow. He said the transfer was in preparation for her release as part of a prisoner exchange. The detention facility in Taganrog is known for its cruel treatment of detainees. CNN has previously spoken to prisoners held there, who described being subjected to physical and psychological abuse, being given insufficient amounts of food and denied access to basic health care. Reporters with Ukrainska Pravda have partnered up with journalists from more than a dozen international media after her death was announced, to try to piece together what happened to her during the last few months of her life. They interviewed dozens of prisoners, as well as prison guards and human rights defenders. They were able to trace her movements and describe the brutality of her detention.
