Moscow: Russian photographer Ekaterina Yakl won the grand prize in the 11th edition of the Andrei Stenin International Press Photo Contest, organized by the Russian news agency Sputnik. The winners were announced during a ceremony held at the State Historical Museum in Moscow’s Red Square.
According to Union of OIC News Agencies, the international jury unanimously awarded Ekaterina’s photographic series “Russian Spirit: A Path Through Obstacles” the competition’s top prize, recognizing its artistic and humanistic value. The series tells the story of wounded veterans who have returned to civilian life, yet continue to embody courage, resilience, and inner strength despite their injuries and trauma.
Upon receiving the award, Ekaterina Yakl said, “Heroism is not limited to the battlefields, but extends to the details of daily life.” She emphasized the deep impact combat experiences have on soldiers, noting that recovering from such experiences means starting anew in various aspects of life. She highlighted the importance of sport in this recovery process, as it helps veterans regain physical health, confidence, and a sense of purpose.
Ekaterina explained that her documentary series was filmed during the Challenge for a Hero program at the Orto-Sport Adaptive Sports Center. The series is a tribute to the heroes who defended their homeland and continue to advance bravely in civilian life. It also participated in the Portrait: Hero of Our Time category.
In addition to the grand prize, the ceremony announced the 2025 shortlist winners in various categories. Indonesian Riza Saifullah won first place in the Breaking News – Single Image category for his image “The Rohingya Boat Overturned,” depicting Rohingya refugees awaiting rescue after their boat capsized in West Aceh, Indonesia.
Palestinian Abdulrahman Al-Kahlout won first place in the Breaking News – Photo Series category for his work “Gaza: The Aftermath of Genocide,” documenting the ongoing tragedy in Palestine. Bangladeshi S.M. Almaztaba Rasool won first place in the Sports – Single Image category for “The Last Race: The Fall of a Champion,” which captures a racehorse that has fallen dead after a race.
The My Planet category saw Chinese artist Mingdan Gu winning first place for “Fruit Trees Inside Tents,” showcasing farmers protecting plum trees from harsh weather. In the My Planet – Photo Series category, Bahraini Mustafa Abdulhadi won for documenting scenes from the annual Shiite mourning procession in Karbala, Iraq.
Photojournalists from Myanmar and Russia won in the Portrait: Hero of Our Time category. Myanmar’s Nine Nine Htwe’s photograph, “The Fisherman’s Family,” depicts a man presenting his catch to his wife. “Whispers in Silence” by Russian journalist Pelageya Tikhonova explores the lives of girls in a monastery, encouraging reflection on identity formation within religious institutions.
The Above Shot – Single Image category featured stunning images, with Brazilian photographer Anselmo Cunha dos Santos winning first prize for “Airplane on a flooded airport runway,” showing an aircraft in Rio Grande do Sul.