Victoria was transferred with another Ukrainian woman, but none of them made it to the prisoner exchange.
“So, she was taken somewhere,” says the director of “Media Initiative” Tatsiana Katrychenko. – They say, in Lefortov. Why there? We don’t know.”
She says this is not normal practice before the exchange.
The Lefortovsk prison in Moscow is under the supervision of the FSB security service and is used for those accused of espionage and serious crimes against the state.
“Maybe they were lucky enough to start some kind of court proceedings or investigation. This happened to other civilians who were taken out of Kherson and Melitopol,” says Tatsiana.
As the BBC found out, Victoria’s father spoke with her in prison on August 30.
At one point she went on hunger strike, but that day her father suggested that she start eating again, and she agreed.
“It needs to be investigated. It also means that we would partially blame her, and not the Russian Federation, as it should be,” warns Tatsiana.
The Special Service of Ukraine confirmed Victoria’s death, and the Prosecutor General’s Office changed the criminal case from illegal detention to murder.
No charges have ever been brought against Victoria in Russia, and the circumstances of her detention are unknown.
“Civilian journalist… captured by Russia. Then Russia sends a letter that she is dead?” Ukrainian MP Yaroslav Yurchyshyn said this to the BBC in Kyiv.
“It kills. Just killing hostages. I don’t know another word.”
Russia does not comment.
