WSJ’s Trofimov wins Peterson Prize

Wall Street Journal reporter Yaroslav Trofimov has won the 2024 Peterson Literary Prize for his book “Our Enemies Will Vanish: The Russian Invasion and Ukraine’s War of Independence.”

The winner is awarded $25,000 and the book’s publisher receives $5,000.

The Peterson Literary Prize for nonfiction is a biennial international prize that recognizes the best books, written in English or Ukrainian, that promote a better understanding of Ukraine-related topics relevant to a global audience.

Our Enemies Will Vanish was one of six books shortlisted for this year’s Peterson Literary Prize. Shortlisted finalists each receive $5,000.

In his book, Trofimov, chief foreign affairs correspondent for The Journal, gives a riveting account of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the heroism of the  Ukrainian resistance.

Trofimov spent months at the heart of the conflict, tracing the war’s key moments—from the battle for Kyiv to the grueling battles with the Wagner Group over Bakhmut. The story of the epic bravery of the Ukrainian people is also deeply personal for the author, who grew up in Kyiv, where his family has lived for generations.