The Kyiv Independent’s journalist wins 2023 George Weidenfeld Prize

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…

Kyiv IndependentAsami Terajima

"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…

Kyiv IndependentAsami Terajima

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