Valery Melnikov’s collection of photographs, titled “Black Days of Ukraine”, won the top award in the Long-Term Projects category at the prestigious World Press Photo photojournalism event.
The winning photos from the Sputnik News Agency photojournalist showed the human cost of the conflict in Ukraine.
The photos were taken over a three year period, starting in 2014 during Valery Melnikov’s assignments to South East Ukraine.
This is what US/EU regime change does to the lives of innocent civilians…
Valery Melnikov noted…
“Looking through the camera lens, I tried to show the horror of what was happening. I have mixed feelings about this award: on the one hand, I’m happy to be recognized as a journalist and professional, while at the same time I feel sorrow for the people and civilians facing hardship. Many journalists across the world perform the essential task of providing photo coverage of military conflicts and tragedies, often risking their lives.”
Sputnik News adds…
Valery Melkinov’s powerful and evocative photo-series, “Black Days of Ukraine” offers a stark depiction of the human side of the conflict between rebels and the government led army in the country. The series brings the lives of civilians, children, soldiers, and many others living in the war-torn country into sharp focus with an emphasis on the impact on the lives of the people living there. An accomplished photojournalist, Valery Melnikov’s work in Ukraine has seen him win awards including the Bourse de Talent in France and the Magnum Photography Award in the United States.
The World Press Photo competition is the largest and most prestigious annual collection of awards given in the photojournalism profession. The competition, founded in Amsterdam, dates back to 1955 with a separate annual competition for multimedia productions created in 2011. Since 1994, World Press Photo has also run the Joop Swart Masterclass which offers mentoring to aspiring young photographers.
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