EPA Images Visual Journalist, Zurab Kurtsekidze, passed away
It is with great regret we have to communicate that our colleague in Georgia Zurab Kurtsikidze passed away this morning after a sudden health crisis.
Zurab, 50, was working until last week showing as usual his commitment with his job. His last coverage was Georgia Independence day official parade and celebration.
He was part of the EPA team in Kyiv in the first days of the invasion of Ukraine, his professionalism was always remarkable as it was his passion for the photography and photojournalism.
His career in EPA began during the Rose Revolution in 2003. EPA needed at that time a deeper coverage in this region as the agency was growing and expanding internationally. In a short time, he became part of the EPA regular team linked to the Moscow Bureau. His work took him to cover events in Transcaucasia and beyond and a number of international political events, military conflicts and revolutions in the post-Soviet space, in Georgia (2008), Ukraine (2014, 2022).
He was also a versatile photographer and part of EPA's coverages of Formula 1 or football World Cups among other many competitions.
As Sergey Ilnitsky EPA Moscow Bureau Chief remembers "Zurab was a great professional and a good friend, ready to help and support in the most difficult situations of life. Like every real Georgian, he had a dream to grow grapes and make delicious wine from them".
Our condolences with our deepest grief to his wife and son.
Rest in Peace, Zurab.
