The Power Within: The Kyiv Independent’s first-ever magazine. Be among the first to get it.

pre-order now
Skip to content
Edit post

The Kyiv Independent’s journalist wins 2023 George Weidenfeld Prize

by The Kyiv Independent news desk May 4, 2023 12:06 AM 2 min read
Kyiv Independent's Asami Terajima recives the 2023 George Weidenfeld Prize on May 3, 2023 (Axel Springer Prize)
This audio is created with AI assistance

Asami Terajima, the Kyiv Independent’s reporter, won the 2023 George Weidenfeld Prize.

It is awarded annually for "excellent investigative and courageous research activities" as part of the prestigious German Axel Springer Prize.

The 2023 George Weidenfeld Prize is a recognition of Terajima’s coverage of Russia’s brutal all-out war against Ukraine. Working for the Kyiv Independent, she has written many heart-wrenching pieces on the outcomes of the Russian war, including a story of medics saving lives near Bakhmut or personal stories of Mariupol theater bombing survivors.

‘I work, then I cry’: Exhausted medics near Bakhmut fight for every life
Editor’s note: In this story, the Kyiv Independent is not disclosing the Ukrainian soldiers’ full names or their deployed positions due to security concerns amid the ongoing war in Ukraine. Donetsk Oblast – At an abandoned building about 20 minutes drive from Bakhmut, wounded Ukrainian soldiers pou…

"Asami Terajima is a young reporter who got into war coverage at the age of 22 during the attack on Ukraine. During her assignments, she has focused on documenting the impact of the conflict on civilians and life in the contested areas," reads the award’s website.

"The war changed Terajima's life completely. From one day to the next, she stood in front of the city that had become her home, which had been destroyed in many places, and reported on how mass graves in Bucha (where she played tennis as a child) were opened to document the war crimes of the Russians."  

Named after the British publisher George Weidenfeld, the prize is also "endowed with 5,000 euros," and unlike the other categories, "it does not only target German-speaking journalists," the website reads.

Battle of Bakhmut: Ukrainian soldiers worry Russians begin to ‘taste victory’
Editor’s note: The Kyiv Independent is not revealing the soldiers’ surnames or the exact location of their deployment due to security concerns amid the ongoing war. Some military personnel spoke without the authorization of their commanders or a press officer. DONETSK OBLAST – Just days before head…

Earlier in April, the Kyiv Independent was shortlisted for the Emerging Europe Awards 2023 in the Media Freedom and Responsible Reporting Initiative of the Year category.

This year's edition of the awards, created "to showcase and recognize outstanding growth initiatives in the region," is titled "Grasping the chance to lead."

The Kyiv Independent's investigation into the foreign legion was shortlisted for the 2023 European Press Prize

News Feed

8:06 AM

Zelensky arrives in South Africa to meet President Ramaphosa.

"We count on South Africa’s meaningful participation in the International Coalition for the return of thousands of Ukrainian children abducted by Russia. We will also certainly strengthen our cultural and educational ties," President Volodymyr Zelensky said.
5:30 AM

Trump says he may meet Putin 'shortly' after May Middle East visit.

Despite ongoing ceasefire negotiations, Trump and Putin have yet to have direct contact, communicating only through their officials. Trump's last in-person encounter with his Russian counterpart was during the 2018 Helsinki Summit during the U.S. president's first term.
8:08 PM

Ukrainians react to US proposal of recognizing Crimea as Russian.

The U.S. media outlet Axios reported on April 23 that the U.S. President Donald Trump administration's final proposal for ending the Russia-Ukraine war included the U.S. de jure recognizing Russia's annexation of Crimea and de facto recognizing its control of other occupied Ukrainian territories. We asked Kyiv residents for their reactions to the U.S. proposal.
7:21 PM  (Updated: )

Trump says 'nobody is asking' Ukraine to recognize Crimea as Russian.

"Nobody is asking (President Volodymyr) Zelensky to recognize Crimea as Russian Territory, but if he wants Crimea, why didn’t they fight for it eleven years ago when it was handed over to Russia without a shot being fired?" U.S. President Donald Trump wrote.
MORE NEWS

Editors' Picks

Enter your email to subscribe
Please, enter correct email address
Subscribe
* indicates required
* indicates required
Subscribe
* indicates required
* indicates required
Subscribe
* indicates required
Subscribe
* indicates required
Subscribe
* indicates required

Subscribe

* indicates required
Subscribe
* indicates required
Subscribe
* indicates required
Explaining Ukraine with Kate Tsurkan
* indicates required
Successfuly subscribed
Thank you for signing up for this newsletter. We’ve sent you a confirmation email.