The International Photo Contest awarded two Russians and Belarusian: how the community reacted
The Ukrainian Association of Professional Photographers (UAPF) has condemned the results of the World Press Photo 2025. Two Russians, Belarusians and Germans with projects about Ukraine and the war were among the regional winners.
About it It is said In the official statement of the UAPE.
They emphasized that the Association is « surprised » by the choice of winners and requires compliance with the standards of ethics, impartiality and transparency: « Rewarding Russian photographers who serve as expressors of the state ideology of the Russian Federation, the competition makes the visible position of the aggressor, and thus contributes to the replacement of concepts: instead of condemning the aggressor emphasizes on compassion.
In our opinion, such awards does not correspond to the stated purpose of the competition – to combine the world with important stories, especially in the situation of the invading war, which Russia has been leading against Ukraine for 11 years« .
Photo Nanna Gaitmann / UnderGround Field Hospital
A fair vote, according to the Board of the UAPE, is possible only if the photographers who « should be given attention to »reflect the truth and give a voice to those who are often trying to stifle« .
What works have won
For the first time from the beginning of a full -scale invasion of the competition, a photojournalist from Russia won. He became Mikhail Tereshchenkophoto resumption of the Russian State Information Agency « Tars ». He represented the Protest in Georgia series in the Stories Stories category. In it Tereshchenko documented anti -Russian protests in Tbilisi against suspension of negotiations on the entry of Georgia to the EU.
Another Russian, Alona Kardashwon the Long-Term Projects category with an IT SMOKE AT HOME project. Although she lives in Germany, the main study was the « psychological separation of modern Russia from reality, where war is called » special operation « .
Photo by Alyona Cardesh / It Smells of SMOKE AT HOME
In the category « Single Photos » from Europe, the jury selected two works showing war in Ukraine. They were characterized as a « visual pair », which shows two reflections of the reality of the region.
German photographer Florian Bahayer He showed six-year-old Angelina from Kharkiv region, which after escape from shelling suffers from panic attacks. The work has a name Beyond the Trenchs and according to the author, ”became the emotional center of the European block”.
In contrast, German photographer Nanna Gaitmannintroduced a picture of the Undergraund Field Hospital. It depicts a wounded DNR fighter who fought on the side of the Russian army.
Photo by Mikhail Tereshchenko / Protests in Georgia
In the category « Southeast Asia and Oceania » won the Belarusian photographer Tatiana Chipsanova. Her project is dedicated to the ancestors of the Maorian tribe of Ngai Tahi in New Zealand.
”Victory photos are those that make us stop, or at least suspend the movement and think, not just flip through. Many of these pictures go beyond the moment they were taken – they have become symbols of something meaningful in social, political or historical point of view« , – justifies the choice of winners Finbar O’rillythe jury chairman from Europe.
Photographers’ reaction
The lists of winners immediately summoned a violent discussion in the community. Ukrainian photographers also responded to the list of winners. Sergey Korovayny wrote:
”From my point of view, it is a non -pattern, superficial, stretched at the expense of the visual similarity of manipulars, which removes responsibility for the invading Russian war in Ukraine from « ordinary Russians » – military and civilians. Which encourages Russian Guiltwashing. What is the most inappropriate during the War of Choice, which is led by the Russian Federation.
I also did not come up with civilians. One of the winners of a photographer of Russian origin of Aliona Kardash is about Russian society during the war, its challenges and suffering. It is called IT SMELLS OF SMOKE AT HOME.
In Ukrainian cities, smoke also smells. These are Russian missiles and drones kill our civilian and military, yesterday’s civilian. Every day.
In Russian cities, Smells of Smoke will cease when the Russian army leaves Ukraine. At the same time, Russian boys will stop dying in the cellars of the Ukrainian city of Bakhmut, and Angelina will return to his tupr« .
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Last year’s winner World Press Photo, Julia Kochetovacriticized the jury’s choice:
”Obviously, I am surprised to see so much attention to the narrative about the « Russian soul » among the regional winners this year. I cannot imagine how Georgian photographers feel because their protests against Russian influence were shown through the image of a photographer from the Russian state agency. This is personal responsibility – how this war will be told in years. It is important to continue to testify and document« .
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Joined the discussion and a documentary Liberov power:
« TAk do you think that a good idea is to call a « visual couple » a photo of a little girl who suffered from Russian aggression and an image of a wounded occupier in occupied territories?« .
