Ukrainian Photographer Roman Pilipey Named US National Photojournalist of the Year

Ukrainian photographer Roman Pilipey has been named National Photojournalist of the Year 2026 by the National Press Photographers Association in the United States for a series of photographs produced in Ukraine for Agence France-Presse (AFP) over the past year.

Reflecting on the award, Pilipey said the situation in Ukraine had not become easier over the past year. He noted that after a winter marked by large-scale Russian strikes that left many civilians without heating and water, the intensity of attacks has only increased while the country continues to face a critical shortage of air defense systems.

Citing AFP data, Pilipey said Russia launched at least 36,455 long-range drones and 1,093 missiles against Ukraine during the first six months of 2026.

“Behind all these numbers are countless lives shattered, entire families killed, and millions of people forced to leave their homes in search of safety. It is important never to forget what these numbers truly represent,” he said.

Pilipey also paid tribute to Ukrainian and international journalists covering the war.

“I also want to express my sincere gratitude to all my Ukrainian and international colleagues who continue reporting from this war—giving a voice to those who might otherwise go unheard and reminding the world, every day, of the price Ukraine is paying in its struggle simply to survive,” he said.

The recognition follows another recent international honor for a Ukrainian photojournalist. In March, Yefrem Lukatsky was named one of the winners of the February 2026 Associated Press Photo Contest in the News Photography Story category.

Lukatsky received the award for a photo essay documenting Kyiv's Veterans Theatre, where aspiring actors of different ages—including Ukrainian veterans living with amputations, severe burns, and vision loss—prepared for their first stage performance.

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