He started his career as a writing journalist, working for Rossiyskaya Gazeta from 2003 and Gazeta.ru. In 2008 he turned to photojournalism. Since 2009 he worked as photo reporter for RIA Novosti. He was an experienced military photojournalist having worked in such hotspots as Egypt, Syria, Libya, the Gaza Strip and other locations. He won "Silver Camera" prize in 2010 and 2013. Stenin's personal quote on his job:
Journalists are the eyes of the citizens and the world.
Covering conflict in Ukraine
He was working in the area of War in Donbass since May 14. His work in Ukraine included pictures of Ukrainian troops captured by pro-Russian separatists, the horrific results of artillery shelling of rebel-held cities and the crash site of the MH17 plane that was downed over the Donetsk region in July.
Disappearance and death
Stenin was allegedly embedded with Russian-backed combatants in Ukraine. Critics have labelled his activity a part of the fabrication of war propaganda. After Stenin's disappearance, Anton Gerashchenko, an official with Ukraine's Interior Ministry suggested in an interview with the Latvian radio station Baltkom that the photojournalist might have been detained in the conflict area by Ukraine's security services. Gerashchenko later retracted his statement. Controversy surrounding the life, work, and death of Stenin continues. He went missing since 5 August 2014. The International Federation of Journalists, the European Federation of Journalists, Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International expressed their concern for Stenin's safety. Reports in August indicated that Stenin's remains were found along with the bodies of two others. On 3 September Stenin was confirmed dead. Russia's Investigative Committee said DNA tests had confirmed Stenin's identity. According to the media he was in a vehicle traveling in a convoy of escaping civilians when the convoy came under heavy fire in the area supposedly controlled by the Ukrainian military and National Guard. Andrey Stenin became the fourth Russian journalist killed in Ukraine over the past few months. Igor Kornelyuk and Anton Voloshin, staff members of the VGTRK radio and television network, were killed in June near Luhansk. At the end of June, Anatoly Klyan, a cameraman of the First TV Channel, received a mortal wound near Donetsk. The UN issued a statement deploring his death, calling for its investigation and bringing those responsible to justice.
