Arkady Ostrovsky

Having spent over a decade reporting on Russia, Arkady Ostrovsky knows the country from the inside out—and his excellent features are testament to the depth of his experience. For 1843 magazine, he wrote a gripping piece entitled “Life and death in Putin’s gulag”, which provides a powerful and unsettling comparison between Russia’s current penal system and the brutal practices of Stalin’s era. Published shortly after the tragic death of Alexei Navalny, the feature stands out for its vivid portrayal of the inhumane conditions in Russian penal colonies. Ostrovsky drew on his correspondence with those inside the system to expose the gulag’s Soviet-era methods of control, while also weaving in insights about the historical dimensions of political oppression.

Ostrovsky then turned to the human toll of the Ukraine war on Russian civilians in another written feature, “Death and destruction in a Russian city”. The piece focuses on Belgorod, a quiet Russian city shattered by daily attacks, and the stories of its war dead. Ostrovsky blends these personal tales with collective history, examining the historical ties between Belgorod and its Ukrainian neighbour, the city of Kharkiv, and showing how these connections have been violently severed by the conflict. His exploration of this shared past and fractured present gives the piece a rich contextual depth, offering readers an intimate glimpse into how geopolitical forces reshape ordinary lives.

For “Escape from the meat grinder: the making of a Russian deserter”, Ostrovsky tracked down two deserters (referred to as ‘Victor’ and ‘Stepan’ to protect their anonymity) and visited them in Armenia, where they are now trying to build a life. Both men had been conscripts —young people without strong political opinions, and who had trusted their government before being sent to Ukraine. Ostrovsky gives the full sweep of their time as Russian soldiers, from being drafted into the war, to their early experiences on the frontline among soldiers who had committed atrocities, to the moment that each man found the strength or desperation necessary to abscond. This article deserves recognition for many reasons, not least of which is the way it humanises a population who rarely receive nuanced treatment by the foreign press.

Ostrovsky’s unflinching coverage of Russia’s war in Ukraine, now into its third year, is more important than ever as the world’s attention begins to flag and Donald Trump’s re-election throws America’s involvement in Ukraine into question. Ostrovsky’s versatility as a reporter is evident not only from the breadth of his reporting but also from his ability to report stories in different mediums. In “Life and fate”, an audio feature, he gave voice to the Russians who oppose Vladimir Putin’s regime, revealing their despair and resilience after the death of Alexei Navalny, Russia’s most prominent opposition leader (see supporting documents.)

For his ability to break stories that go beyond the news cycle, and to cultivate Russian sources despite the circumstantial difficulties, Astrady Ostrovsky deserves recognition as Foreign Reporter of the Year.