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Photographer with Kremlin media ties disqualified from German photography prize after backlash
['Kate Tsurkan', 'Culture Reporter', 'Kate Tsurkan Is A Reporter At The Kyiv Independent Who Writes Mostly About Culture-Related Topics. Her Newsletter Explaining Ukraine With Kate Tsurkan', 'Which Focuses Specifically On Ukrainian Culture', 'Is Published Weekly The Kyiv Independent', 'Is Partially Supported A Generous Grant The Nadia Sophie Seiler Fund.', 'Kate Co-Translated Oleh Sentsov S', 'Diary Of A Hunger Striker', 'Myroslav Laiuk S', 'Bakhmut']
The Kyiv Independent
A photo series about Russian-occupied Mariupol that was originally shortlisted for the prestigious Leica Oskar Barnack Award has been disqualified after Ukrainian media covered the photographer's work for Kremlin-linked media.
Photographer Valery Melnikov lashed out at the decision on his Instagram on Aug. 10, declaring that "an artist does not owe anyone proof or justification."
Yet much of his work has aligned with, and at times reinforced, the narratives promoted by the Kremlin-backed media outlets for which he has worked.
However, Melnikov's Aug. 10 post appears to indicate that he no longer works for RIA Novosti.
According to the state-run museum, Melnikov's works tell the "poignant stories" of families being "reunited" after Russia's "liberation" of Ukraine's Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts.