Winners

The first place is awarded to Igor Lapik, a war correspondent for the TV channel Zvezda, for his frontline report from the Special Military Operation in the Lugansk People’s Republic, showcasing the work of the Bars-6 UAVs (operator: Alexander Sedykh).

The second pace is posthumously awarded to war correspondent Mohammed Baalousha (Al-Mashhad TV channel, headquartered in Dubai) for his report on the Al-Nasr Hospital destroyed by Israel. In his story, Muhammad documented the bodies of children left behind in the intensive care unit during an Israeli assault. Muhammad was killed on December 14, 2024, in Gaza during an Israeli strike.

The third place goes to Omar Magomedov, a war correspondent for NTV, for his frontline report from the Donetsk region, highlighting Russian flamethrower operators repelling attacks by Ukrainian armed forces.

The jury awarded a special prize to Nakhle Odaime, a Lebanese war correspondent for the MTV channel, who has been offered an internship at the RT Arabic office in Moscow in 2025.

In these five reports from Gaza, journalist Ghazi Al-Alul provides a comprehensive view of the current situation. The reports cover the evacuation of refugees in Khan Yunis, challenges to stereotypes through the story of Fakhr Al-Taj, relentless Israeli attacks on civilians, the collapse of the healthcare system, and the targeted killings of Palestinian journalists. Together, they vividly portray the multifaceted challenges the people of Gaza face.

Explore Donbass through a series of articles from the “Izvestiya” newspaper. Covering topics such as the aftermath of a missile strike in Donetsk or the resilience of Volnovakha’s streets, the series shares human stories, struggles, and examples of undying hope amidst war. Each article offers a unique perspective on the challenges civilians face, the impact of continuous shelling, and the urgent need for global attention and assistance in the region.

Journalists visited the Lugansk and Donetsk People’s Republics to shoot this documentary in August 2022. They talked to the locals to understand what has been happening since 2014 and who they are fighting against now. The film shows how the region lives, with individual human stories demonstrating how ordinary people continue despite the struggle of war.

This article series explores the diverse challenges that Syria faces, from religious restrictions on Christians in Idlib to the persistent threat of post-conflict landmines. It highlights the escalating malnutrition crisis among Syrian children due to economic hardships and blockades, along with urgent calls for international aid. The series also addresses Türkiye’s recurrent water cutoffs in Al-Hasakah, leading to a severe humanitarian crisis. It also sheds light on the surge in child labor, emphasizing the need for immediate global intervention.

The Donetsk People’s Republic militia evacuates the Nikolsky Monastery, shelled by the Ukrainian Armed Forces.

The war correspondent reports on Russian paratroopers holding the defense line, under fire for a month at an airfield near Kiev.

Misha travels from the Russian city of Kaluga to the Donetsk People’s Republic in search of his fiancée Katya, who went on a visit to her parents before the special military operation started in February 2022. He hasn’t heard from her since, and is trying to reach the city of Mariupol to bring Katya home to Russia. A documentary with breathtaking footage telling the real stories that are hard to believe.

The town of Popasnaya in the Lugansk People’s Republic is no longer under heavy fire as it was during the summer, but occasionally the air raid alert blares out. Most of the buildings have been reduced
to rubble, yet a few dozen people continue to live here with no gas, electricity or water, and sometimes even no food. They don’t want to leave their home. This report is about their life in Popasnaya.

The reporter goes to the Donetsk Peoples Republic (DNR) front lines to see with his own eyes how
the ceasefire is being implemented, and nearly comes under fire himself. On the Donbass line
of contact, DPR representatives increasingly report that Ukrainian forces have been violating the July 2020 ceasefire agreement. Prisoner-of-war exchanges have been suspended, and DPR negotiations
are proving fruitless. Special correspondent Alexander Lukyanov reports.

An on-the-ground report from Marib, Yemen, as Houthi rebels ramp up a scorched-earth offensive
to seize the city, triggering a humanitarian crisis and prompting local tribe members to join the fight
to save the strategic, oil-rich city.

The documentary covers the ongoing armed conflict in southwestern Yemen, which drove 38 families
to flee to a remote mountainous area in the al-Mafir district of Taiz Governorate, where they were left with no means of survival. As the Covid-19 pandemic spread, the refugees’ plight worsened.
Poor sanitary conditions have led to complications during childbirth and frequent miscarriages.

A series of reports that tell about the efforts of the Russian Armed Forces, who not only assist
the Syrian military, but also help the civilian population in Syria to overcome the consequences
of the ongoing conflict.

The report covers the situation in the Syrian province of Idlib, where a ceasefire deal was brokered
by Russia and Turkey.

The report tells about the difficult conditions of Afghan refugees in Iran. Every year, Iran's authorities deport hundreds of thousands of people from their country.

The video takes a look at the Syrian city of Palmyra, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, which was turned into ruins by Islamic State (ISIS*). Specialists are putting together the remaining artifacts
in a bid to restore the place as a tourist hub.

The Syrian city of Raqqa, proclaimed the ISIS capital, was virtually erased during fighting against terrorists and air raids by the US-led international coalition. The film reveals the struggle of the locals who are fighting to stay alive in the ghost city.

A series of publications sheds light on the border areas between Syria and Iraq divided by a wall
that was erected in 2018 as a line of defense against ISIS fighters.

A series of reports from the Libyan capital focuses on the procrastinated standoff between
the Government of National Accord (GNA) and the Libyan National Army (LNA).

This film examines the fight against terrorism in the city of Marawi, Philippines after ISIS affiliated terrorists took control. The basis of the film is video footage filmed from mobile phones belonging
to local residents, soldiers, and terrorists.

This report takes a look at those civilians trying to rebuild their lives after Islamic State fighters
were pushed out of the majority of Syrian territories.

This report sheds light on the lives of ISIS fighters’ families after Iraq’s liberation from terrorists.
Women and children, accused of aiding and abetting in terrorist crimes, are detained in special camps created by the government.