Holland’s Ukrainian community protests screenings of “Russians at War” propaganda film

Ukrainians in the Netherlands are voicing strong opposition to the controversial screening of the Russian propaganda film “Russians at War.”

The film, which is seen as part of Russian state-sponsored messaging to normalize its genocidal war against Ukraine, was shown on March 26 in Leiden and on March 27 in The Hague.

“We believe it is crucial that such events are held with full awareness of the complexity and sensitivity of the subject, with a particular focus on the accuracy of the information presented and the responsibility for the narratives they promote,” stated the Ukrainians in the Netherlands Foundation (UNF).

Leiden saw the Ukrainian community stage a protest on the day of the film’s screening.

“War criminals should be brought to The Hague courts, not to universities as guest speakers,” the protest organizers, ABBA Student Association, said.

The UNF also sent an official letter to the screening organizers expressing “concern about the film, particularly due to the potential risks of spreading distorted narratives about the war in Ukraine.”

It stated that “we believe that public platforms should foster healthy dialogue and respect diverse viewpoints.”

The letter added that “however, we also urge careful consideration of the potential consequences of promoting films that may distort reality or fail to acknowledge the full responsibility of the aggressor, equating its suffering with that of the victim.” 

The community also compiled a list of reasons explaining why the film does not align with the realities of the current situation. Follow this link for more details.

“We hope that objectivity and respect for the victims of the war will be maintained,” the UNF said.

The “Russians at War” movie focuses on the stories of Russian occupiers and includes only excerpts of real battles.

The filmmaker, director, and former employee of the Kremlin-funded TV channel Russia Today, Anastasia Trofimova, claims she created an “anti-war” film to portray “ordinary people.” She intended to challenge the view that all Russian soldiers are criminals.

Earlier, the Australian Federation of Ukrainian Organizations condemned the Antenna Documentary Film Festival’s selection of a propaganda film “Russians at War” to be screened in Sydney, saying it humanizes, normalizes, and whitewashes Moscow’s naked atrocities in Ukraine.

The Zurich Film Festival canceled public screenings of the film. The Ukrainian Canadian Congress led a campaign against the film’s screening, which resulted in the suspension of screenings in Canada. However, on Sept. 17, the Toronto International Film Festival ignored these calls.

Screenings of the film were successfully canceled in Greece thanks to the efforts of the Ukrainian community in October.