Maksym Levin: a photographer who became a symbol of professional dedication

He had documented the war in Ukraine for eight years, but everything stopped for him in March 2022. The story of Maksym Levin‘s death is not only the tragedy of one family, but also one of the most documented pieces of evidence of how the russian army purposefully destroyed journalists in the Kyiv Region.

The last assignment in Huta-Mezhyhirska

Maksym Levin, whom friends and colleagues called simply Maks, disappeared on March 13, 2022, while performing his professional duties. He went to the Vyshhorod District of the Kyiv Region to document the consequences of russian aggression near the village of Huta-Mezhyhirska. His body was found only three weeks later, on April 1.

The international organization Reporters Without Borders conducted a detailed investigation that confirmed: the journalist was not just killed during hostilities – he was tortured and executed by the russian military. For his personal courage and selfless actions during the coverage of russian aggression, Maksym was posthumously awarded the Order of Courage, 3^rd degree. He is survived by four sons, the youngest of whom was only two years old at the time.

He covered the war in Ukraine for eight years, remaining at the very epicenter of events so that the world could see the truth. The story of Maksym Levin is an example of uncompromising service to the profession, for which he paid the highest price. The posthumous awarding of the Order of Courage was a recognition of his contribution to the history of modern Ukraine.

Tragic chronicle: March as a month of repression against journalists

The death of Maksym Levin was one of the many losses of that period. March 2022 is recognized as the bloodiest month in the history of Ukrainian journalism. Russian troops did not just destroy cities, but carried out a targeted hunt for media workers, trying to destroy witnesses to their crimes.

“Every Ukrainian photographer dreams of taking a photo that will stop the war.” These words belonged to Maksym Levin, a man who has seen war through his lens since 2014. Remember that photographers in war are the eyes of the world that the enemy is trying to close,” Ukrinform emphasizes.

International recognition of crimes against the media

The National Union of Journalists of Ukraine (NUJU) continues to honor the memory of colleagues whose cameras and notebooks recorded the first days of the great war at the cost of their own lives. Today, an active struggle is underway in the international arena so that the systematic murders of journalists are officially recognized as war crimes by russia.

As earlier reported, Ukrainian journalist and human rights activist Maksym Butkevych was shortlisted for the 2026 Open Society Prize in the Creators of Open Society nomination.