The European Union intends to impose sanctions against the leadership and staff of the Federal Penitentiary Service (FSIN) for the Rostov region in connection with the death of Ukrainian journalist Viktoria Roshchina. This was reported by the investigative project "Sistema," created by Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty and Current Time.
The report notes that the restrictions may be approved by EU foreign ministers at a meeting in Luxembourg on November 20. The sanctions list is expected to include the head of the regional FSIN, Andrei Polyakov; the head of Taganrog Pretrial Detention Center No. 2, Alexander Shtoda; and his deputies, Andrei Mikhailichenko and Andrei Sapitsky.
According to "Sistema," the European Union assesses these individuals as responsible for the torture, cruel treatment, and death of at least 15 Ukrainian prisoners. Similar information, citing sources in Ukrainian intelligence, was cited in other media investigations into torture in the Taganrog detention center.
Journalist Viktoria Roshchina disappeared in the summer of 2023 after traveling to Russian-occupied territories of Ukraine to investigate kidnappings. According to former prisoners, she was detained in Energodar, then transferred to Melitopol, where she was tortured for four months. Roshchina was later transferred to Pretrial Detention Center No. 2 in Taganrog in serious condition.
In the summer of 2024, she was taken to the hospital on a stretcher; it is unknown whether she received medical care there. She was then placed in a separate cell. She was last seen alive in September of last year, being led out of her cell in an unknown direction.
In February 2025, Roshchina's body was handed over to Ukraine. Her identity was established thanks to a name tag on her shin and DNA testing, but due to the condition of her body, experts were unable to determine the exact cause of death. Her remains showed multiple signs of torture, including a broken rib, hemorrhages, neck injuries, and traces of possible electric shock.
In addition to Rostov-on-Don FSIN officers, representatives of Russian courts and investigative bodies involved in political repression could be subject to new EU sanctions.
