World Press Photo Apologizes for Pairing Ukrainian Girl With Russian Soldier, Yet Keeps TASS Prize

The international jury and World Press Photo have issued an apology for pairing two separate photo series, German photographer Florian Bamaier’s image “Behind the Trenches,” and Nanna Heitmann’s “Underground Field Hospital,” as a single visual narrative.

Their response came following an inquiry by Detector Media.

“We should not have presented these two photographs as a pair, as this suggests they should only be viewed and understood in relation to one another. Doing so creates an overly simplistic and misleading equivalence, overshadowing the distinct story each image tells on its own. These works, at most, reflect just two facets of Russia’s ongoing war against Ukraine,” said Lucy Conticello, chair of the international jury.

As for the award given to Mikhail Tereshchenko, a photographer working for the Russian state agency TASS, organizers said they do not plan to revoke the prize.

However, they reportedly intend to strengthen their submission guidelines and review procedures for photographers employed by state-run institutions. Going forward, they will consult with photographers from countries such as Georgia and Ukraine, as well as those working under repressive regimes who often strive to produce meaningful work under difficult circumstances.

On March 28, Ukraine’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed concern over the World Press Photo’s decision to present a paired image featuring a Ukrainian child affected by war alongside a Russian soldier.

On March 26, the Swedish media outlet SVT reported that a ballet troupe claiming to represent Ukraine has been touring Sweden and Finland under false pretenses, deceiving audiences and allegedly funneling money to Russia.

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