KYIV, Ukraine (AP) 鈥 Ukraine awoke Monday to another day of war 鈥 Russian drones blasted buildings in the Kharkiv and Odesa regions 鈥 but also the news it had won its first Oscar.
The best documentary victory for Mstyslav Chernov鈥檚 a harrowing first-person account by The Associated Press journalist of the early days of Russia鈥檚 invasion in 2022, was bittersweet.
鈥淭his is the first Oscar in Ukrainian history, and I鈥檓 honored,鈥 an emotional Chernov said Sunday at the Academy Awards. 鈥淧robably I will be the first director on this stage to say I wish I鈥檇 never made this film, I wish to be able to exchange this to Russia never attacking Ukraine.鈥
Back home in his native Ukraine, the award was applauded for exposing the brutal devastation of the war and the message Chernov had sent to the world from one of the biggest stages.
鈥淚 really liked what the director said during the award acceptance, that it would have been better if he hadn鈥檛 made this film and if all of this hadn鈥檛 happened," said Oleksii Kurka, a Kyiv office worker.
鈥淭he fact that Ukraine received its first Oscar, and that the world will see again the horrors that the Russian army committed in Mariupol, is certainly a victory of truth over falsehood,鈥 he added.
Ukrainian President hailed the award as 鈥渋mportant for our entire country鈥 and said he was grateful to the team and thanked journalists across the world still covering the war despite a decrease of attention as it has dragged into its third year and as much of the world's focus has turned to Israel's war against Hamas.
鈥淭he horrors of Mariupol must never be forgotten,鈥 he said on social media. 鈥淭he entire world must see and remember what the inhumane Russian invasion brought to our people. Cities and villages were destroyed, homes were burned, and entire families were killed by Russian shells and buried in their own backyards.鈥
The AP team of Chernov, photographer Evgeniy Maloletka and producer Vasilisa Stepanenko the port city. Two weeks later, they were the last journalists working for an international outlet sending crucial dispatches to the outside world showing civilian casualties of all ages, the digging of mass graves, the bombing of a maternity hospital and the
The Oscar 鈥 and nomination 鈥 for both Chernov, an AP video journalist, and the 178-year-old news organization. The documentary was a joint production of AP and PBS鈥 鈥淔rontline.鈥 It was the first win for 鈥淔rontline鈥 after two previous nominations.
Statuettes were awarded to Chernov, producer and editor Michelle Mizner and producer Raney Aronson-Rath. AP Vice President Derl McCrudden, also a credited producer on the film, was among those onstage to accept the award.
Police officer Volodymyr Nikulin, who is featured prominently in the film as he helped the crew cover the story and ultimately escape Mariupol as Russian forces closed in, said he was happy the movie had won the prestigious award.
Nikulin, who was later injured helping victims of a Russian attack on Pokrovsk in the Donetsk region, ferried the crew around Mariupol in a desperate attempt to help them find a place where they could transmit their footage because he said it was vital the world could see what was happening. He said the film served as an important reminder of 鈥渢he most difficult time for our country.鈥
鈥淩ight now, we may be facing a similarly challenging moment,鈥 he told AP in Kyiv on Monday.
鈥淏ut this film has shown that we can defend our country, that we are united. And at this time, if the world sees that we are fighting, the crimes the aggressor is committing in our country, how it destroys our cities, I believe that the world will support our efforts in the fight, and this will be decisive at this time."
Ukraine鈥檚 human rights chief Dmytro Lubinets praised the documentary for showing 鈥渢he truth to the whole world."
鈥淭his awards ceremony is an opportunity to address millions of people. This is what the film director did by mentioning the occupation, prisoners of war, killing of Ukrainians by Russia, and illegal abduction of civilians,鈥 he wrote on Telegram.
The award, one of many the documentary has garnered. including the Pulitzer Prize, comes as Ukraine's forces and ammunition are depleted and Russian troops are trying to push deeper into the Ukraine-held western part of the Donetsk region and penetrate the Kharkiv region to the north.
Drone attacks overnight damaged two multistory buildings, a hotel and a municipal building in the eastern city of Kharkiv, said regional Gov. Oleh Syniehubov. No casualties were reported.
An infrastructure facility in the Odesa region was destroyed and windows were shattered, regional Gov. Oleh Kiper said.
The award marks the second consecutive Oscar documentary awarded for a film that has shone a harsh light on Russia.
about who won best documentary. Navalny was honored Sunday at the start of the award show's section recognizing those who died in the past year.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov on Monday refused to comment on 鈥20 Days in Mariupol,鈥 saying it wasn鈥檛 the Kremlin鈥檚 prerogative.
Yulia Navalnaya, the widow of Navalny, congratulated the Mariupol team on 鈥渢heir truly deserving and important Oscar victory.鈥
Belarusian opposition leader in exile Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya sent 鈥渉eartfelt congratulations鈥 to Chernov, thanking him on X for "showing us that the truth is always stronger than lies.鈥
On the streets of Kyiv, residents were hopeful the film would reawaken people to Ukraine's plight and motivate allies to provide the support needed to repel Russia.
鈥淧eople from around the world, I mean democratic countries, democratic people, need to empathize with us more," said tour guide Serhii Uzlov. "Understand that Russia is not only the enemy of Ukraine but the enemy of the entire democratic world.鈥
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Associated Press journalists Anton Shtuka in Kyiv, Ukraine, and Dasha Litvinova in Tallinn, Estonia, contributed to this report.
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