George Gongadze Prize names two winners in 2026

The 2026 George Gongadze Prize recognized two journalists this year, honoring Olga Rudenko and Mykhailo Tkach for their work in Ukrainian media.

Maryan Kushnir, a war correspondent for Radio Liberty, was also shortlisted for the award.

“It has been a great honor to attend this awards ceremony three times, and each time alongside people I am proud to work with. Right now, war correspondents and investigative journalists are doing the most important work,” Rudenko said during the ceremony. 

Rudenko is the editor-in-chief and co-founder of The Kyiv Independent. She was also a finalist for the George Gongadze Prize in 2024 and 2025. Rudenko’s work has appeared in several international publications, and she also took part in a fellowship program at the Chicago Booth School of Business.  In May 2022, Rudenko appeared on the cover of Time as part of a feature on the next generation of leaders. Later that year, she received the Women of Europe award in the Woman in Action category. In October 2025, the Center for European Policy Analysis in Washington presented her with the Freedom Fighter Award for her work advancing independent journalism during Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Tkach has led the investigations department at Ukrainska Pravda since 2021. Before that, he worked on Schemes, a joint project by Radio Liberty and UA:First. His investigations focus on corruption schemes, illicit enrichment among officials and abuses within state institutions, and his reporting has repeatedly triggered public debate and official investigations. In 2022, Tkach received the Order of Merit for his contribution to journalism and his coverage of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. In 2025, he was also shortlisted for the George Gongadze Prize. The Institute of Mass Information named him “Journalist of the Year” three consecutive times.

The ceremony was hosted by Myroslava Barchuk, a winner of the 2021 George Gongadze Prize, and journalist Zurab Alasania. Directors Dmytro Veselsky and Stanislav Veselsky led the ceremony, which also included a performance by bandura player and singer Maryna Krut with the string quartet Infinito.

The winner is selected each year by the Award Committee, an independent body consisting of nine members. This year’s members included:

• Myroslava Gongadze, journalist, media manager, and expert on security and democracy in Eastern Europe;
• Volodymyr Yermolenko, president of PEN Ukraine, philosopher, writer, and journalist;
• Lev Zhydenko, patron of the Award and co-founder of the Aurora chain of stores;
• Pavlo Kazarin, winner of the Gongadze Award (2020), journalist, master sergeant of the 2nd Unmanned Systems Battalion of the 104th Brigade;
• Serhiy Kvit, president of the National University of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy;
• Dmytro Lykhovii, officer of the Main Communications Directorate of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, journalist;
• Ivan Liubysh-Kirdei, Reuters cameraman, recipient of the Order of Merit, 2nd and 3rd classes, winner of the George Gongadze Award (2025);
• Sevgil Musaeva, Editor-in-Chief of Ukrainska Pravda;
• Oksana Romanyuk, Director of the Institute of Mass Information. 

The Gongadze Prize was established by PEN Ukraine in partnership with the Kyiv-Mohyla Business School Alumni Association and Ukrainska Pravda. Its goal is to support journalists who take on challenges, innovate in their storytelling, open new opportunities in the media environment, and build sustainability in their work. The George Gongadze Prize is designed to support journalists who are not afraid of challenges, are able to find innovative ways of conveying information, promote liberal reforms in Ukraine, open new opportunities for the media, are able to create sustainability in what they do and remain true to professional principles.

In previous years, the award went to Ivan Liubysh-Kirdei (2025), Tetiana Troschynska (2024), Bohdan Lohvynenko (2023), and Mstyslav Chernov and Evgeniy Maloletka (2022).

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