PHOTOGRAPHY: Second Chechen War. By Yuri Kozyrev (noorimages.com)

The Second Chechen War was the key to Vladimir Putin's victory in the 2000 presidential campaign. The destruction of the Chechen separatist government cemented his image as a tough, decisive leader, in contrast to the bumbling ailing Boris Yeltsin, eased out to make way for him.

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about
As a photojournalist for the past 20 years, Yuri Kozyrev has covered every major conflict in the former Soviet Union, including two Chechen wars. Immediately after September 11, 2001, he was on the scene in Afghanistan, where he documented the fall of the Taliban.

Kozyrev has spent much of the past 5 years based in Baghdad, as a contract photographer for TIME Magazine. He has traveled all over Iraq, photographing the different sides of the conflict.

Yuri Kozyrev has received numerous honors for his photography, including the World Press Photo Award (four times) for pictures from Chechnya, Iraq and Beslan. He was the recipient of the Overseas Press Club Oliver Rebbot Award in 2004 for his Iraq coverage. In 2006, he was the recipient of the ICP Infinity award for photojournalism and he won the 2008 Frontline Club Award for his extensive coverage of the Iraq war.

picture of the year award 2009
The Ossetia series from Yuri Kozyrev has received an award of Excellence in the 2009 Picture of the Year Award in the 'News Picture Story' category. A larger selection of the series can also be seen on our website.

world press photo contest 2009
Yuri Kozyrev won the first prize in the 'portraits' category (singles) in the 2009 World Press Photo Contest. His award winning image is from a larger feature about victims of the Iraq war.

solo exhibitions
Inside Iraq
Visa pour l’Image
Perpignan, France-2008

Iraq: witnessed
War Photo Limited
Dubrovnik, Croatia- 2007

Iraq 2002-2006
The Center of photography of Lectoure, France, 2006

Iraq 2002-2005
Visa pour l’Image
Perpignan, France-2005

Iraq 2002-2005
Bratislava, Slovakia- 2005

Chechnya 2000
Moscow, Russia- 2000
Kozyrev's photographs were included in TIME 's photo-essay:

21 Days to Baghdad (2003)
With other photographers and journalists
Published by Time Inc.