My name is Sergei Ilnitsky. I'm Russian photojournalist. I have been working as a staff photographer for EPA in Moscow since 2003. I was born in 1974 year in Mariupol on Azov Sea, Ukraine. My passion for photography started as a child. I attended the Academy of Arts and Culture at the Department of Cinema and Photo Skills in Siberia, while freelancing for newspapers and advertising agencies. Upon graduation I worked at the 'Kuznetsky kray' newspaper. In 1995 I began as a stringer for EPA in Siberia and later in all Russia regions. I have covered such stories as children's colonies in Siberia and the Chernobyl nuclear power plant. In 2001 I covered NATO operations in Afghanistan.
Honors include the 2001 first prize in the 'Press Photo of Russia' award for 'Sport', and 2002 best project of the year 'The inverted childhood', the best photo project in the protection of the environment 'The Golden horns of Altai' in 'Press Photo of Russia', and the Second Prize Stories in the Sports Action category of the World Press Photo 2013.