Kateryna Argyrou, co-chair of the Australian Federation of Ukrainian Organisations, has strongly criticised the controversial documentary Russians at War, calling for its cancellation at the Antenna Documentary Film Festival.
The film, which chronicles the lives of Russian soldiers in Ukraine, is set to screen in Sydney on February 10 and 14.
Argyrou condemned the documentary for humanising Russian soldiers while failing to address Russian war crimes or criticise President Vladimir Putin’s regime.
She described the film as a “propaganda narrative” that absolves Russian soldiers of any responsibility for the atrocities committed during the invasion of Ukraine.
In her letter to the festival organisers, Argyrou warned that the film misrepresents the situation and risks misleading audiences by empathising with Russian troops, potentially minimising the systemic violence against Ukrainian civilians.
Her comments come amid backlash from Ukraine’s ambassador to Australia, who also called the film “deeply harmful” to the Ukrainian Australian community.
Despite the criticism, the festival’s organisers stand by their decision to screen the film, emphasising its role in critiquing the nature of war and shedding light on the internal contradictions within the Russian military.
