Maksim Yevhenovych Levin (; 7 July 1981 – ) was a Ukrainian photographer. He reported as a photojournalist from 2006, for LB.ua and

Reuters Reuters ( ) is a news agency owned by Thomson Reuters. It employs around 2,500 journalists and 600 photojournalists in about 200 locations worldwide writing in 16 languages. Reuters is one of the largest news agencies in the world. The agency ...

among many others. He also provided photographs for international humanitarian organisations including

UNICEF UNICEF ( ), originally the United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund, officially United Nations Children's Fund since 1953, is an agency of the United Nations responsible for providing Humanitarianism, humanitarian and Development a ...

and

World Health Organization The World Health Organization (WHO) is a list of specialized agencies of the United Nations, specialized agency of the United Nations which coordinates responses to international public health issues and emergencies. It is headquartered in Gen ...

. During a mission to document the

Russian invasion of Ukraine On 24 February 2022, , starting the largest and deadliest war in Europe since World War II, in a major escalation of the Russo-Ukrainian War, conflict between the two countries which began in 2014. The fighting has caused hundreds of thou ...

Kyiv Oblast Kyiv Oblast (, ), also called Kyivshchyna (, ), is an Administrative divisions of Ukraine, oblast (province) in central and northern Ukraine. It surrounds, but does not include, the city of Kyiv, which is administered as a city with special sta ...

, Levin was detained, interrogated, possibly tortured, and executed by Russian soldiers. His friend Oleksiy Chernyshov, who was accompanying him, was likely burned alive.

Life and career

Levin was born on 7 July 1981 in

Boyarka Boiarka or Boyarka (, ) is a city in Fastiv Raion of Kyiv Oblast (region) of Ukraine, about 20 km SW from Kyiv. It hosts the administration of Boiarka urban hromada, one of the hromadas of Ukraine. Population: The population in 2001 was 35 ...

. He wanted to become a photographer already as a teenager, and attended a photography club while a school student. He first trained to be a computer systems engineer, as his father wished. He graduated from the

Igor Sikorsky Kyiv Polytechnic Institute The Kyiv Polytechnic Institute ( KPI, ; official full title National Technical University of Ukraine "Igor Sikorsky Kyiv Polytechnic Institute") is a National university, national public university, public technological university in Kyiv, Ukrain ...

, and worked as a systems engineer. He and his wife had four sons. Levin began working as a photojournalist in 2006. He was a staff photographer for LB.ua and a

stringer Stringer may refer to: Structural elements * Stringer (aircraft), or longeron, a strip of wood or metal to which the skin of an aircraft is fastened * Stringer (slag), an inclusion, possibly leading to a defect, in cast metal * Stringer (stairs), ...

for

. He also worked for

Associated Press The Associated Press (AP) is an American not-for-profit organization, not-for-profit news agency headquartered in New York City. Founded in 1846, it operates as a cooperative, unincorporated association, and produces news reports that are dist ...

BBC The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) is a British public service broadcaster headquartered at Broadcasting House in London, England. Originally established in 1922 as the British Broadcasting Company, it evolved into its current sta ...

Hromadske hromadske (; lit. ''Public'') is an independent online media in Ukraine. The station was announced in June 2013 by 15 journalists, before commencing operations on 22 November 2013. It is registered as an NGO.TRT World TRT Global, previously named TRT World, is a Turkish public broadcaster which broadcasts in English 24 hours a day and is operated by the TRT and based in the Ulus quarter of Ankara. It provides worldwide news and current affairs focusing on ...

. His photographs were published by ''

Elle Elle may refer to: Arts, entertainment and media * Elle (magazine), ''Elle'' (magazine), a fashion publication ** Elle Style Awards * Elle (India), ''Elle'' (India), the Indian edition * Elle (film), ''Elle'' (film), a 2016 French film * ''Elle: ...

'',

Korrespondent.net The ''Korrespondent.net'' ( ; ; literally: ''Correspondent'') is an online newspaper in Ukraine launched in 2000. It is a sister project to the ''Korrespondent'' printed weekly magazine also containing the latter's reduced free online version. ''K ...

Radio Bulgaria Radio Bulgaria ( Bulgarian: Радио България, ''Radio Bǎlgarija''; BNR) is the official international broadcasting station of Bulgaria. History For almost seventy years the world service of the Bulgarian radio, formerly called Radi ...

Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) is a media organization broadcasting news and analyses in 27 languages to 23 countries across Eastern Europe, Central Asia, the Caucasus, and the Middle East. Headquartered in Prague since 1995, RFE/RL ...

, ''

The Moscow Times ''The Moscow Times'' (''MT'') is an Amsterdam-based independent English-language and Russian-language online newspaper. It was in print in Russia from 1992 until 2017 and was distributed free of charge at places frequented by English-speaking to ...

'', ''

The Wall Street Journal ''The Wall Street Journal'' (''WSJ''), also referred to simply as the ''Journal,'' is an American newspaper based in New York City. The newspaper provides extensive coverage of news, especially business and finance. It operates on a subscriptio ...

'', ''

Time Time is the continuous progression of existence that occurs in an apparently irreversible process, irreversible succession from the past, through the present, and into the future. It is a component quantity of various measurements used to sequ ...

'',

Ukraine Crisis Media Center Ukraine Crisis Media Center (UCMC) is a non-governmental organization that provides information about events in Ukraine, challenges and threats to the national security; in particular in the military, political, economic, energy and humanitarian ...

, ''

Vatican News ''Vatican News'' is the official news portal of the Holy See, serving as a source of information about the activities, pronouncements, and events related to the global Catholic Church and the operations of the Holy See. As a part of the Dicaster ...

'', and

World News Media World News Media Limited was established in 2004 and trades from London, UK. It is the publisher of ''World Finance'' magazine which is tied to the marketing of numerous vanity awards under the name of the World Finance Awards. It also publishes ...

, among others. He also took photographs and conducted video projects for humanitarian organisations, including HealthRight International,

UNFPA The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) is a UN agency aimed at improving reproductive and maternal health worldwide. Its work includes developing national healthcare strategies and protocols, increasing access to birth control, and leadin ...

, the

Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) is a regional security-oriented intergovernmental organization comprising member states in Europe, North America, and Asia. Its mandate includes issues such as arms control, the p ...

(OSCE),

United Nations The United Nations (UN) is the Earth, global intergovernmental organization established by the signing of the Charter of the United Nations, UN Charter on 26 June 1945 with the stated purpose of maintaining international peace and internationa ...

(UN),

UN Women The United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women, also known as UN Women, is a United Nations entity charged with working for gender equality and the empowerment of women. UN Women is charged with advocating for the righ ...

, and

(WHO). He was the author of the documentary project about the military "Afterilovaisk" and the project about responsible fatherhood "Dads' Club". He was present for a number of battles in the 2014

Russo-Ukrainian War The Russo-Ukrainian War began in February 2014 and is ongoing. Following Ukraine's Revolution of Dignity, Russia Russian occupation of Crimea, occupied and Annexation of Crimea by the Russian Federation, annexed Crimea from Ukraine. It then ...

, and was surrounded by Russian forces during the

Battle of Ilovaisk The Battle of Ilovaisk started on 7 August 2014, when the Armed Forces of Ukraine and pro-Ukrainian paramilitaries began a series of attempts to capture the city of Ilovaisk from pro-Russian insurgents affiliated with the Donetsk People's Rep ...

. He escaped alive, and was honoured in 2015 by President

Petro Poroshenko Petro Oleksiiovych Poroshenko (born 26 September 1965) is a Ukraine, Ukrainian politician and Oligarchy, oligarch who served as the fifth president of Ukraine from 2014 to 2019. He served as the Minister of Foreign Affairs (Ukraine), Minister ...

with the Order "For Merits" of the III degree. During the

2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine On 24 February 2022, , starting the largest and deadliest war in Europe since World War II, in a major escalation of the Russo-Ukrainian War, conflict between the two countries which began in 2014. The fighting has caused hundreds of thou ...

, Levin was quoted saying: "Every Ukrainian photographer dreams of taking a photo that will stop the war." One of his photographs, showing destroyed buildings in Kyiv, graced the cover of a March 2022 edition of the German magazine ''

Der Spiegel (, , stylized in all caps) is a German weekly news magazine published in Hamburg. With a weekly circulation of about 724,000 copies in 2022, it is one of the largest such publications in Europe. It was founded in 1947 by John Seymour Chaloner ...

''.

Death

Levin went missing on 13 March 2022, when he left, together with Oleksiy Chernyshov, to photograph consequences of Russian aggression near

Huta-Mezhyhirska Huta-Mezhyhirska () is a village in Vyshhorod Raion (Raions of Ukraine, district) in Kyiv Oblast of Ukraine. It belongs to Petrivtsi rural hromada, Kyiv Oblast, Petrivtsi rural hromada, one of the hromadas of Ukraine. On 13 March 2022, during ...

in the

. Connection to them was interrupted that day. His body was found near the village on 1 April 2022. According to the Ukrainian Prosecutor General's Office, he was fatally shot twice by Russian servicemen while unarmed and wearing a press jacket. According to a report published by

Reporters Without Borders Reporters Without Borders (RWB; ; RSF) is an international non-profit and non-governmental organisation, non-governmental organization headquartered in Paris, which focuses on safeguarding the right to freedom of information. It describes its a ...

, he was executed by Russian soldiers, probably members of the 155th Guards Naval Infantry Brigade, possibly after being interrogated and tortured. Levin's friend who was with him at the time, Oleksiy Chernyshov, was likely burned alive by Russian soldiers. Levin was posthumously awarded the

Order for Courage The Order for Courage () is a Ukrainian award established by Ukrainian president Leonid Kuchma on August 21, 1996. Design by Ukrainian artist Mykola Lebid. Awards of the President of Ukraine for Courage Before August, 1996, personal bravery ha ...

. A funeral service was held in Kyiv's St. Michael's Cathedral. The head of the

Orthodox Church of Ukraine The Orthodox Church of Ukraine (; OCU), also called the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, is an Eastern Orthodox Church in Ukraine. It was granted autocephaly by the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople on . Some of the Eastern Orthodox Churche ...

, Metropolitan Epiphaniy, said that he was "one of the best photographers of modern Ukraine", who "served the truth". The funeral was at the new cemetery in Boyarka. The killing of Maksim Levin was condemned by the Director-General of the UNESCO

Audrey Azoulay Audrey Azoulay (; born 4 August 1972) is a French Jew of Moroccan descent, French Civil Service, civil servant and politician who has served as the 11th Director-General of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UN ...

in a press-release published on the 3rd of April. According to global monitoring on the safety of journalists by the UNESCO's Observatory of Killed Journalists, Levin was the sixth journalist killed in Ukraine in 2022.

Exhibitions

Levin's exhibitions include: * ''Maydan: Human Factor'' * ''Ukraine 24. War&Peace'', Los Angeles * ''Conflict Zone: Ukraine'', Chicago * ''Donbas War and Peace'',

European Parliament The European Parliament (EP) is one of the two legislative bodies of the European Union and one of its seven institutions. Together with the Council of the European Union (known as the Council and informally as the Council of Ministers), it ...

, Brussels * ''Donbas: War and Peace'', Prague * Photo exhibition about the

, Kyiv

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Levin, Maks 1981 births 2020s missing person cases 2022 deaths 21st-century Ukrainian journalists Assassinated Ukrainian journalists Deaths by firearm in Ukraine Civilians killed in the Russian invasion of Ukraine Formerly missing Ukrainian people Journalists killed while covering the Russian invasion of Ukraine Missing person cases in Ukraine Kyiv Polytechnic Institute alumni People from Boyarka Recipients of the Order of Merit (Ukraine), 3rd class

Life and career

Death

Exhibitions

See also

References

Further reading

External links