The international educational initiative “Star Dictation ‘Poekhali!’ – 2026” has come to a close, bringing together participants from dozens of countries around the world. This year, the project once again confirmed its status as a major international platform where the Russian language serves as a point of connection for people of all ages, professions, and cultural backgrounds.

The list of winners includes school students, university students, educators, and IT professionals from Europe, Asia, the Middle East, and Africa. The project’s impressive geographical reach — stretching from Vienna to Tehran, from Tashkent to Athens, and from New Delhi to Kitwe — is more than just a statistic; it reflects the enduring international interest in the Russian language.

Among the winners are 24 participants who demonstrated outstanding literacy skills and a deep command of the language. The winners represent different generations, with the youngest being 11 years old and the oldest 56.

List of Winners: “Star Dictation ‘Poekhali!’ – 2026”

1. Diyor Abdugafurov, 13 – 7th-grade student, Tashkent, Uzbekistan
2. Maria Avanesova, 47 – specialist in Russian language education, Yerevan, Armenia
3. Dayana Kosyan, 15 – student, Vanadzor, Armenia
4. Gordon Ulyssis Benihani, 16 – 10th-grade student, Amman, Jordan
5. Shikha Gupta, 35 – student, New Delhi, India
6. Karina Dvoimennaya, 19 – student, Lugansk, Russia
7. Vyacheslav Dobrinets, 44 – IT professional, Minsk, Belarus
8. Ian Zeidan, 14 – student, Bethlehem, Palestine
9. Armita Zeynalabedinzadeh, 22 – student, Tehran, Iran
10. Madina Ikaeva, 16 – student, Tskhinval, South Ossetia
11. Felix Kamalong, 21 – student, Kitwe, Zambia
12. Viktoria Kozak, 30 – student, Rybnitsa, Transnistria
13. Sergei Krivenchenko, 13 – student, Vienna, Austria
14. Maxim Kudryavtsev, 18 – student, Kingisepp, Russia
15. Luong Quang Hung, 20 – student, Hai Duong, Vietnam
16. Elena Mukhamedyarova, 11 – student, Osh, Kyrgyzstan
17. Yuimo Niu, 20 – student, China
18. Roza Okuklu, 56 – chemistry teacher, Alanya, Turkey
19. Safiya Rakhimova, 11 – student, Khujand, Tajikistan
20. Melina-Theodora Tzotzu, 17 – student, Athens, Greece
21. Dima Tyrsa, 15 – student, Budapest, Hungary
22. Timur Khodzhabayev, 16 – student, Almaty, Kazakhstan
23. Shahab Ghodrati, 23 – student at Astrakhan State Medical University, originally from Serab, Iran
24. Aya Youssef, 15 – student, Hurghada, Egypt

The project brings together not only native speakers of Russian, but also those who have mastered it as a foreign language at an advanced level. In doing so, it fosters a unique cultural environment in which language becomes an important tool for dialogue and mutual understanding.

“Star Dictation ‘Poekhali!’ is more than a test of literacy. It is a cultural statement that brings people around the world together through the Russian language and a shared commitment to education,” the organizers said.

With each passing year, the Dictation continues to expand its audience and broaden its impact, evolving into a truly international movement. The names of the 2026 winners offer further proof that the Russian language continues to thrive, develop, and resonate around the world.