Ukrainian journalist Victoria Roshchyna has gone missing amid reporting from occupied Luhansk region

Victoria Roshchyna, a Ukrainian freelance journalist and winner of the 2022 Courage in Journalism Award, has gone missing in occupied territory.

The International Women's Media Foundation is concerned about the disappearance of the Ukrainian journalist.

Victoria disappeared from a Russia-occupied Luhansk region on August 3 this year amid her reporting mission. She has not been heard from since.

Russia's systemic censorship of free speech cannot go overlooked or unchecked. Free, independent journalism is essential to informing the global public of the realities of Russia's war on Ukraine. We ask our peers in the human rights and press freedom space to join our demand for information on Roshchyna's whereabouts and stand with journalists continuing to bring truth to light amid Russia's invasion.

The 26-year-old journalist has published materials in Ukrainian media since the beginning of the full-scale war in February 2022.

Throughout her nearly decade-long journalistic career, she has covered difficult – and often dangerous – topics, including crime, the courts, and human rights.

Her chief Sevhil Musayeva, also known as the chief editor of Ukrainska Pravda media, called on the state government to put the most effort into finding the freelance writer.

She is a brave journalist, who takes it upon herself to cover the most controversial topics that require courage. She's not a spy, she's a real journalist who cares about the fate of the people staying in the occupied territories. It is important for her to tell their stories.

Victoria Roshchyna was previously captured by Russian forces in southern Berdiansk in 2022, where she was held hostage for ten days.

At the end of July, she reported from occupied Lysychansk, describing the terrible realities of a town living on the front line.

People bury relatives and neighbors in yards and vegetable gardens because the ritual services are not working. They bring a handful of earth to the priest, he buries the earth, and they then sprinkle the grave with this earth, Victoria reported.

During the all-out aggression, Russian forces have committed 536 crimes against Ukrainian and foreign journalists, which include attacking TV crews, kidnapping, cyber attacks, and shelling.