Yesterday at 20:00
The winners of the annual War Through the Lens military journalism competition were announced in Kyiv. This year, nearly 300 entries were submitted, showcasing the realities of war through unique footage from the front line, evacuation missions, and the daily lives of Ukrainian defenders. Awards were presented in nine categories, while the country’s top military press officers were also recognized.
Powerful images that send chills down the spine and stories that often remain behind the scenes of frontline reporting took center stage at the third War Through the Lens documentary festival.
“This year, we received more than 300 submissions. Winners are selected in nine categories. The jury includes professional journalists who are currently serving in the military and evaluating the work of their colleagues. We also have audience-voted categories, and more than 150 press officers from Ukraine’s Defense Forces took part in the competition,” said Oleksandr Tkachuk.
Before the awards ceremony, organizers held a symbolic initiation for combat journalists. The tradition, organized by the Territorial Defense Forces’ Media Unit, honors young reporters who have already worked on the front lines and produced their first combat reports. They are symbolically blessed with a camera that has been used on the battlefield since 2014 and is said to have once saved a life.
The event also paid tribute to journalists who lost their lives while performing their duties and highlighted the role of media professionals in documenting Ukraine’s modern history. The competition entries were judged by media professionals who understand the realities of frontline reporting firsthand. This year’s jury included well-known Ukrainian journalists who are currently serving in Ukraine’s Defense Forces.
The State Enterprise “International Broadcasting Multimedia Platform of Ukraine” traditionally served as an information partner of this event. In one of the most prestigious categories, “Best Camera Operator,” a report by staff correspondent Daria Litovchenko, who works under shelling every day in southern Ukraine, reached the finals.
“One of the reports that made it to the finalists’ list was a story about the training of marines from the 40th Separate Marine Brigade. There, they were honing their skills, from boat landings to clearing territory. The report was shortlisted in the ‘Best Camera Operator’ category. Honestly, it is very pleasant for me. It is high recognition of my work because I work on my own. I arrange everything myself, write requests, coordinate all of it, arrive on location, film, write the script, conduct interviews. For this particular report, I also did the editing myself,” shared FREEДOM TV correspondent Daria Litovchenko.
Daria herself comes from Sloviansk in the Donetsk region. Therefore, she has known the face of war since 2014. When the Defense Forces liberated Kherson, she immediately traveled there, produced the first report, and stayed to film the city’s daily chronicles despite enormous security risks.
“Unfortunately, the situation in the city is such now that even simply stepping outside your apartment is already frightening. Enemy drone activity is extremely high. There are more drones flying there than birds in the sky. The Russians are conducting what is called a ‘human safari,’ meaning they strike not only vehicles but also pedestrians, cyclists, and mopeds. Anything moving in the streets,” the FREEДOM correspondent said.
In addition to civilian media professionals, unique chronicles of this war are also being created by service members themselves. The award for Best Video Report went to Belarusian volunteers from the Kalinouski Regiment. Their work, “Chase in a Burning Humvee,” captured a minute-by-minute struggle for survival during an enemy attack.
“It was on the Zaporizhzhia front, where the guys were returning from a combat mission, and several FPV drones hit the Humvee. The guys escaped by jumping out of the burning Humvee, rescued a dog, and everyone returned safely. It was a great stroke of luck,” said Belarusian volunteer Kanstantsin Sushchyk.
Overall, awards were presented in eight creative categories. Special attention was also given to press officers, who serve as a bridge between the military and society. This year, the winner was the press officer of the 93rd Kholodnyi Yar Brigade.
The organizers emphasize that the main goal of the event is to remember the price of every word and every frame, and to continue showing the world the truth about Ukraine’s struggle.
