Main image: Valeria Syniuk (65) sits near her badly damaged home. She was asleep when a Russian missile destroyed the building opposite hers. Kyiv, Ukraine
A photograph by Ukrainian photographer Evgeniy Maloletka titled “Russian Attack on Kyiv” has been named the regional winner in the “Europe” category of the World Press Photo 2026 competition.
The photo was taken on April 24, 2025, when Russia carried out one of the deadliest attacks on Kyiv since the start of the full-scale invasion, striking residential areas with drones and missiles, killing 13 people and injuring 90.
The image shows Kyiv resident Valeria Syniuk sitting by her damaged home.
“This image captures the shock and vulnerability of a survivor in Kyiv, Ukraine. Deep shadows contrasted with a single light source draw attention to striking details—the woman’s lost gaze and her clean, loose shoes—that emphasize the suddenness and human costs of Russia's ongoing attacks. In the fifth year of this conflict, the jury highlighted this work as a powerful record of an individual's experience, honoring the skill and dedication of local Ukrainian photographers,” the World Press Photo 2026 jury said.
Evgeniy Maloletka began working as a staff photographer for Ukrainian media in 2009 and later became a freelancer, collaborating with Associated Press, Al Jazeera, Der Spiegel, and other outlets.
His work during the 2022 siege of Mariupol earned international recognition, including the Knight Journalism Award, the Visa d’or News Award, and the Prix Bayeux Calvados-Normandie. He has also received awards in Italy, Germany, Norway, and the United States.
In 2023, Maloletka won World Press Photo of the Year and two Pulitzer Prizes in the categories of Public Service and Breaking News Photography. In 2024, he co-created the documentary film “20 Days in Mariupol,” which received some of the most prestigious awards in the film industry, including an Oscar.
