MOSCOW, Nov 18 (Prime Africa) – Russian photography artist Yekaterina Yakel has been awarded the Grand Prix of the 11th Andrei Stenin International Press Photo Contest for her moving photo series “Russian Spirit: An Obstacle Course.” The award ceremony was held on Tuesday at the State Historical Museum on Moscow’s Red Square.
The international jury unanimously selected Yakel’s documentary series, which follows wounded combat veterans striving to rebuild their lives after sustaining life-altering injuries on the frontline. Shot during the Challenge for the Champion recovery programme at the Orto-Sport Adaptive Sports Center, the work captures the resilience, courage and emotional journey of veterans navigating post-war rehabilitation.
“Heroism doesn’t manifest itself only on the battlefield, but also in everyday life,” Yakel said. “For many soldiers, recovery means learning to walk again. Sport plays a vital role—helping them heal physically and rediscover their sense of purpose.”
The series was submitted under the Portrait. A Hero of Our Time category.
Winners Across Categories Announced
This year’s ceremony also revealed winners across all categories of the 2025 shortlist. Highlights include:
Top News (Single Image)
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Reza Saifullah, Indonesia – 1st place – Rohingya Capsized Boat, depicting Rohingya refugees awaiting rescue after a boat accident in West Aceh.
- Muhammad Amdad Hossain, Bangladesh – 2nd place
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Syed Mahamudur Rahman, Bangladesh – 3rd place
Top News (Series)
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Abdelrahman Alkahlout, Palestinian Territory, Occupied – 1st place (Palestine) – Gaza: Echoes of Genocide, documenting the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
- Vladimir Umikashvili, Georgia – 2nd place
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Kazi Salahuddin Razu, Bangladesh – 3rd place
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Garry Lotulung / Indonesia – Jury Honorable Mention
Sport (Single Image)
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S.M. Al Muztaba Rosul, Bangladesh – 1st place – The Last Race: Fall of a Champion, showing a racehorse collapsing after a grueling race.
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Mohammad Shahriar Foisal, Bangladesh – 3rd place
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Yasser Alaa Mobarak, Egypt – Jury Honorable Mention
My Planet (Single Image)
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Mengdan Zhu, China – 1st place – Fruit Trees Growing in Tents, portraying farmers sheltering plum trees from extreme weather conditions.
© Mengdan Zhu. China
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Hendy Wicaksono, Indonesia – 3rd place
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So Pyay Lynn, Thailand – Jury Honorable Mention
My Planet (Series)
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Mustafa AbdulHadi, Bahrain – 1st place – A series capturing scenes from the Shia mourning procession marking Ashura in Karbala, Iraq.
© Mustafa Abdul Hadi. Bahrain
- Pavel Ivshin, Russia – 2nd place
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Shibasish Saha, India – 3rd place
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German Caballero, Spain – Jury Honorable Mention
Portrait. A Hero of Our Time
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Nyein Nyein Htwe, Myanmar – 1st place – Fishing Family, showing a fisherman presenting his catch to his spouse.
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Pradiptamoy Paul, India – 2nd place
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Mohammad Ali Pour, Czech Republic – 3rd place
© Nyein Nyein Htwe. Myanmar
Top View (Single Image)
- Pelagia Tikhonova, Russia – 1st place – Aircraft on the Tarmac of a Flooded Airport, an aerial image of a plane stranded in a waterlogged airport in Rio Grande do Sul.
© Yekaterina Yakel. Russia
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Yevgeny Konoplyov, Russia – 2nd place
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Pradiptamoy Paul, India – Jury Honorable Mention
Global Exhibition Tour
The Moscow ceremony marks the launch of the contest’s annual international exhibition tour, with scheduled stops in Ethiopia, Serbia, and Argentina. Organizers say new destinations are continually being added as global interest in the contest grows.
About the Contest
The Andrei Stenin International Press Photo Contest is organized by the Rossiya Segodnya media group, under the auspices of the Russian Federation’s UNESCO Commission. The competition promotes young photojournalists and aims to highlight pressing global issues through visual storytelling.
Key media partners include Russia’s VGTRK, SMOTRIM, Moskva 24, and international partners such as SPUTNIK, RT, South Africa’s Independent Media and ANA, and China’s SUMG, China Daily Online, and The Paper Portal. Media industry partners include the Union of Russian Journalists, YOung JOurnalists, Russian Photo, and Photo-study.ru.
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