Ukrainian journalist Victoria Roshchyna has been posthumously awarded the distinction “For devotion to the profession under the most difficult conditions” in the “Honor of the Profession 2025” professional journalism competition on 29 May.

“Victoria, despite the risks of mortal danger, was engaged in covering war crimes and violations of humanitarian law norms in the occupied territories,” the competition announced the award on its Facebook page.

Victoria Roshchyna is a Ukrainian journalist. She had traveled to Russian-occupied areas to prepare a report from there. Roshchyna reportedly disappeared on Russian occupied territories on 3 August 2023. 

Russia first confirmed it was holding her in captivity only in May 2024. The confirmation came nearly nine months after her disappearance.

Information about Victoria’s death became known on 10 October 2024. Russian officials informed her father Volodymyr about the journalist’s death. The Ukrainian side later confirmed the information.

The Media Initiative for Human Rights reported that Victoria Roshchyna was held in at least two prisons. She was detained in correctional colony №77 in Berdiansk and detention center №2 in Taganrog, Russia. The Taganrog detention center is known as “one of the most brutal places of detention for Ukrainians on Russian territory.”