Russian journalist's 2021 Nobel Peace Prize sells at auction for record $103.5M

June 21 (UPI) -- A Nobel Peace Prize awarded last year to Russian journalist Dmitry Muratov has sold at auction for a record $103 million, and the money will go to help children who have been displaced by the Russian war in Ukraine.

Muratov previously announced that he would auction off the prestigious prize -- which was awarded to him last October, along with Philippines journalist Maria Ressa -- to help Ukrainian refugee children.

The money from the auction will go to UNICEF, which is the United Nations' child humanitarian aid program.

Muratov's 23-carat gold Nobel Peace Prize medal was auctioned on Monday night by Heritage Auctions in New York City and sold for $103.5 million -- a record price for any Nobel prize.

Russian journalist Dmitry Muratov won this Nobel Peace Prize last fall, along with another journalist. The medal sold at auction on Monday night for a record $103.5 million. Photo courtesy Heritage Auctions

The medal was sold to a proxy bidder and the buyer was not identified, but it's believed that they live overseas because the winning bid was translated into Swiss francs.

Muratov, the editor of the Russian publication Novaya Gazeta, had already donated the $500,000 in prize money that he received for winning the Peace Prize last fall to help refugee children.

The United Nations has said that thousands of children have been killed, injured or displaced since the Russian war in Ukraine began almost four months ago. Novaya Gazeta has been heavily critical of the war and Russian President Vladimir Putin.

In April, Muratov was attacked and doused with red paint while riding on a train in Russia. U.S. intelligence officials concluded that Russian agents were behind the attack.

The previous record for an auction involving a Nobel Prize medal was $4.76 million eight years ago, when scientist James Watson sold the medal he was awarded in 1962.