Kyiv Independent reporter Asami Terajima shortlisted for One World Media Award

Prefer on Google by The Kyiv Independent The Kyiv Independent reporter Asami Terajima In Zaporizhzhia Oblast, April 2026. Credit: Patryk Jaracz The Kyiv Independent is proud to announce that the Kyiv Independent’s reporter Asami Terajima has been shortlisted for the 2026 One World Media Awards in the Print Award category. Terajima's piece “ Inside Ukraine’s AWOL and Military Desertion Crisis ” was shortlisted alongside works from queerbeat and National Geographic Magazine. The One World Media Awards, organized by the U.K.-based charity One World Media, recognize outstanding journalism and media coverage on global issues. This year’s shortlist was selected by sixty judges from over 20 countries across 14 categories. Asami Terajima is a reporter at the Kyiv Independent covering Ukrainian military affairs, front-line developments, and politics. Originally from Japan, she has called Ukraine home since 2010 and chose to remain in Kyiv when Russia launched its full-scale invasion in February 2022. She is the winner of the Thomson Reuters Foundation's Kurt Schork Award in International Journalism 2023 (Local Reporter category) and the George Weidenfeld Prize as part of Germany's Axel Springer Prize 2023. She is also a co-author of the weekly War Notes newsletter alongside Francis Farrell. The shortlisted article, published in January 2026, provides an on-the-ground account of a deepening crisis within Ukraine’s Armed Forces, as the number of AWOL and desertion cases reached a record 21,602 in October 2025. Drawing on interviews with soldiers, the piece examines the human cost behind the statistics: exhaustion, leadership failures, and the psychological toll of prolonged combat. "It’s an honor to see our article among the finalists of a prestigious British award, alongside incredible works on such different topics. Here at the Kyiv Independent, we try to cover both positive and alarming developments in Ukraine as transparently as possible, in hopes of bridging the gap between the English-speaking readers and the reality of the war in Ukraine. My goal as a journalist has always been to shed light on the brutality of the war, particularly from the perspective of ordinary Ukrainian soldiers. What drives me to keep going is the immense cost Ukraine has already paid to defend itself, as well as the gratitude expressed by the soldiers we interviewed. Many of them were initially reluctant to speak with us, but later thanked us for sharing their testimonies — especially at a time when international attention is shifting elsewhere, and they feel forgotten by the world, and in some cases, by their own country." — Asami Terajima, Reporter, The Kyiv Independent This recognition reflects the Kyiv Independent’s ongoing commitment to bringing the realities of Russia’s war against Ukraine to international audiences with rigor and depth. As global attention increasingly turns elsewhere, it underlines the vital importance of independent reporting from the front lines of democracy. Subscribe to the newsletter War Notes that Asami co-authors together with Francis Farrell to get an overview of the main developments of the war in Ukraine. To support our work, join the community of members who make it possible.