Yuri Kozyrev | Noor
Yuri was born in 1963 in Moscow, Russia.
He has covered every major conflict in the former Soviet Union and modern Russia during latest 25 years he has been working as a photojournalist.
After covering the tragedy of September 11th 2001 he went to Afghanistan, where he managed to photo shoot the fall of the Taliban. He lived in Baghdad, Iraq from 2003 to 2009 as a contract photographer for TIME Magazine. From 2011 Yuri worked in Egypt, Bahrein, Libya and Yemen and got prestigious Visa d’Or News Award in 2011 for his work on the Arab Spring and project On Revolution Road.
Yuri also has received numerous honors including six World Press Photo awards for his shots from Chechnya, Iraq and Beslan. In 2006 he got Overseas Press Club Oliver Rebbot prize and in 2008 Frontline Club award for covering Iraqi events. He was also named the 2011 Photographer of the Year in the POYi competition. Moreover, Yuri is a Trophee and Public Prize award holder as part of Prix Bayeux-Calvados for his work Dispatch from Libya.
Yuri is based in Moscow.
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As part of this project Yuri Kozyrev went to the city of Sevastopol and took pictures of the May 9th 2014 Victory Day parade and preparations for it. We can also see among his shots the scenes of World War II reconstructions held in Crimea by Military historical societies, Russian army and fleet workdays, World War II veterans' portraits. The Second World War or the Great Patriotic War means a lot for Crimea: there was fierce fighting with the Nazi on the peninsula. October 1941 to July 1942 was a period of Sevastopol defensive operation. In May 1944 the peninsula was liberated after the Crimean Offensive. During 4 years of battles more than 100 thousand Red Army soldiers were killed, wounded or went missing.

Left: Nina Borscheva, 94, major, World War II veteran
Right: Nikolay Baranov, 92, captain 1st rank near the Obelisk in honor of the Hero-City of Sevastopol on Cape Khrustalny

Left: Ivan Matsegor, 92, colonel Right: Shevkie Abibullaeva, 91

Left: Alexey Strelnikov, 89, captain 1st rank on Sapun Hill Right: Denis Eokhin, 89, colonel

Victory Day celebrations in the city of Sevastopol

The performance for World War II veterans at Sevastopol Dramatic Theatre named after Anatoly Lunacharsky

Members of the Russian history clubs wearing historical Red Army uniforms take part in the reconstruction of one of the most significant battles in World War II on Sapun Hill

Members of the Russian history clubs wearing historical Red Army uniforms take part in the reconstruction of one of the most significant battles in World War II on Sapun Hill

Members of the Russian history clubs wearing historical German Army uniforms take part in the reconstruction of one of the most significant battles in World War II on Sapun Hill

Members of the Russian history clubs wearing historical Red Army uniform take part in the reconstruction of one of the most significant battles in World War II on Sapun Hill

Members of the Russian history clubs wearing historical Red Army uniform take part in the reconstruction of one of the most significant battles in World War II on Sapun Hill

Members of the Russian history clubs and their children wearing historical Red Army uniform take part in the reconstruction of one of the most significant battles in World War II on Sapun Hill

Reconstruction of the battle on Sapun Hill, which happened in May 1944

The city of Sevastopol, 2014, The Victory Day Eve. Marines prepare for the funeral of bodies of soldiers fallen at the battlefields of World War Two. To remember the sacrifice of fallen soldiers is viewed as a holy duty in Sevastopol, which endured a 247-day-long siege by Hitler's army in 1941-42

Sevastopol Crimea May 06 2014: The rehearsal of the military parade in Sevastopol

Russian officers run to the Nakhimov square to take part in a rehearsal for the May 9th Victory Day parade in Sevastopol. May 6th 2014

Students at the Victory Day parade rehearsal in Sevastopol with the portraits of Soviet Army soldiers who were awarded the Hero of the Soviet Union medals

Russian Black sea fleet officers stand on the stairs of Grafskaya Quay during the rehearsal of the military parade. May 6th 2014

Marines stay on the stairs of Grafskaya Quay before the rehearsal of the military parade. Grafskaya Quay is the main ceremonial wharf of Sevastopol, a peculiar emblem of the city, a landmark. May 6th 2014

Victory Day parade in Sevastopol. May 9th 2014

Rise of flag on the missile cruiser 'Moskva'

The graduation of the officers at Nakhimov Naval Academy in Sevastopol. June 2014

Priests baptize the naval knives of Nakhimov Naval Academy graduates in Saint Vladimir's Cathedral - the burial place of the renowned Russian admirals

A cadet on duty in the sleeping section at Nakhimov Naval Academy

Diving training at Nakhimov Naval Academy

Training of Marine infantry in Sevastopol

Cossack cadets camp at the forest not far from Simferopol. Campers receive lessons in discipline and military training

Cossack cadets camp at the forest not far from Simferopol

Simferopol Crimea May 05 2014: Cossack cadets camp at the forest not far from Simferopol. Campers receive lessons in discipline and military training

Visitors rest at Sevastopol embankment - a main walking area in the city center. There're Sevastopol bay and city's Northern district in the background

The city of Sevastopol. June 22nd 2014. Locals gather in the place where the first bomb hit the city on June 22nd 1941