Ukrainian photojournalist Yefrem Lukatsky has been named the winner of the Oliver S. Gramling Awards

One of Ukraine's most renowned photojournalists, Yefrem Lukatsky, has received the Oliver S. Gramling Awards from the international news agency The Associated Press. He announced this on Facebook.

Lukatsky is receiving this award for the second time. He was first awarded it in the early 2000s for the photos he took in Chornobyl

According to the photojournalist, this award, established back in 1994, is meant to recognize the professional achievements of AP staff. The winners are determined by a jury, which bestows the award upon those agency employees who demonstrate extraordinary dedication, unwavering courage, and commitment to the mission of AP.

The awards, each worth $10,000, come from a fund established by the late leader of AP, Oliver S. Gramling. This year, the jury assessed works in two categories: journalism and spirit.

A Ukrainian soldier sends a message to the Russian army while firing at Russian positions on the front lines in the Zaporizhzhia region. June 24, 2023. (Photo: Yefrem Lukatsky)

"I became the winner in the second category - spirit. And I received the award not for a specific photograph or photo report but for my journalistic work over many years. To be honest, it is a great honor for me," Lukatsky shared. The award ceremony will take place on October 24th in New York.

Yefrem Lukatsky is a photojournalist with the international news agency The Associated Press, where he has been working since 1989. He has covered events in Chechnya, Afghanistan, Transnistria, Iraq, and the Gaza Strip. He has documented many significant events in Ukraine, from the hoisting of the Ukrainian flag in the Rada in 1991 to the downing of the first Russian helicopter in Hostomel on February 24, 2022. His photographs have been published by nearly all leading international media outlets, including The New York Times, The Guardian, and The Independent. Last year, Time magazine included Lukatsky's work in its list of the top 100 photographs of 2022.

The first page of Time magazine with Yefrem Lukatsky's photograph. Flag in the parliament hall. Kyiv, August 24, 1991