Ukrainian photojournalist won the European stage of World Press Photo

At the European stage of the World Press Photo international photography award, the works of Ukrainian photojournalist Evgeny Maloletka won. He shot a series of photo reports for the Associated Press during the battles for Mariupol. Maloletka filmed the life of peaceful residents of the city in the conditions of war and the consequences of shelling, including the bombing of the Mariupol hospital and maternity hospital in March 2022.

Photos taken by Maloletka were published in many world publications. The Russian state-run mass media issued statements that the reports of shelling were fake, and the photos were staged. These claims were analyzed in detail and refuted by independent experts.

The director of World Press Photo, Anna Lena Mehr, told Deutsche Welle in an interview that all works submitted to the competition undergo a three-stage verification of authenticity: checking with the source, thorough fact-checking, and checking the informational materials accompanying the photographs. The organizers of the competition understand that publications in the press can be used in the course of information wars, and attract analysts in the field of modern technologies to guarantee the authenticity of the pictures.

The series Maloletka iz Mariupol was recognized as the best in the “Reportage” nomination. In the “Picture” nomination in the “Europe” category, the photo, also made in Ukraine, was won by Alkis Konstantinidis from Reuters, taken in Kharkiv.

• World Press Photo is one of the main international awards in the field of photojournalism. After the regional selection, the world competition will take place. Its results will be announced on April 20.