“We count on the help of the Holy See to repatriate Ukrainians in captivity in Russia,” he wrote Zelensky in Telegram messages.
The meeting with the papa Francisco in the Vatican it lasted 35 minutes. In the end, Volodimir Zelensky received a bronze sculpture representing a flower growing next to a bird, with the inscription: “Peace is a fragile flower”.
The Ukrainian president offered the Pope a painting depicting a child amid the ruins of the city of Boutcha, located near Kiev, which was occupied by Russian forces for 33 days in 2022.
Volodimir Zelensky tours Europe to discuss his “victory plan” with the leaders of Great Britain, France, Italy and Germany, as well as the secretary general of I’ll take it.
Journalist murdered in Russia
Among the Ukrainians arrested by the Russian army was Victoria Roshchina, a journalist detained by Russian forces in the occupied territories of Ukraine.
This Friday, the Ukrainian Prosecutor General’s Office announced the opening of an investigation into “war crimes” following the death in custody in Russia of Roshchina. “The criminal case opened for his disappearance was reclassified as a war crime associated with premeditated murder,” states the accusation, in a statement published on Telegram.
Victoria Rochtchina, 27, died on September 19, according to a letter from the Russian Defense Ministry received by her family in Ukraine on Thursday 10th. The information was released by the NGO Reporters Without Borders (RSF), in a press release.
The journalist’s death was also confirmed by Ukrainian authorities, but the cause and circumstances remain unknown.
“We have official documentary confirmation of the death from the Russian side,” said journalist Dmytro Loubinets, Ukrainian human rights commissioner, on Thursday evening. “The illegal detentions and kidnappings of journalists are Russia’s weapon against freedom of expression,” he accused.
Rochtchina, an independent journalist who collaborated with Ukrainian media outlets Ukraïnska Pravda and Hromadske, disappeared in August 2023 while trying to reach territories occupied by Russia in the Zaporijia region (southern Ukraine) to cover the local situation.
According to the Russian independent media outlet Mediazonathe journalist died during a transfer from Taganrog prison, in southwestern Russia, to Moscow.
For Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, Roshchina’s death was “a real blow” to “many Ukrainian journalists who knew her”, as he wrote on his social networks. “There are still many other journalists, public figures, political leaders (…) and ordinary people in Russian captivity,” he continued, specifying that he had discussed the problem during his meeting with the pope this morning.
According to Kiev, around 25 Ukrainian journalists are currently in captivity in Russia and others are considered missing.
(With AFP)
