Ukrainian journalist received a prestigious award at the photojournalism festival for his coverage of Mariupol events

Associated Press journalist Evgeniy Maloletka received a prestigious award of the photojournalism festival Visa pour l’Image in Perpignan, France. This was reported by a French media France Bleu. 

The Ukrainian was honored for his pictures from Mariupol taken at the beginning of russian full-scale invasion. “These 20 days in Mariupol were like one long never-ending day. And it only turned worse and worse,” said the photojournalist.   

Maloletka and his colleague Mstyslav Chernov had been covering the events in Mariupol from February 23 to March 15. They were the last Ukrainian or international journalists to leave the city. Among other things, due to their work the world saw the pictures of the maternity hospital destroyed by russian shelling.

Maloletka dedicated the award to Ukrainian people and stressed the importance of such acknowledgement of his work.  

Last year’s Visa d’or News award was presented to the photographer, who remained anonymous for safety reasons, for his pictures of “Spring Revolution” in Myanmar. In 2020 the award was given to Fabio Bucciarelli for his work on Bergamo, the city that became the epicenter of Covid-19 in Italy.

It shall be reminded that Ukrainian journalists, Maloletka included, won five 2022 Free Media Awards.

It’s also been reported earlier that Evgeniy Maloletka and two more Ukrainian journalists received 2022 Knight International Journalism Award.