Ukraine demands cancellation of screening at Toronto film festival of film that justifies Russian war crimes

Ukraine is outraged by this event because the film deliberately distorts reality and tries to whitewash the Russian military who are fighting against Ukraine. This was stated by the Ukrainian consul in Toronto, Oleh Nikolenko.

He urged the representatives of the festival to cancel the screening of the film "Russians at War".

"Putting Russian soldiers as simply 'on foot' and Russia's invasion of Ukraine as an 'unholy game' adds credibility to Russian propaganda narratives that downplay the hardship and suffering caused by Russia's military actions," the consul said.

He noted that there are thousands of documented cases of Russian military personnel raping, torturing and killing. At the same time, everyone who joins the Russian army is offered a large monetary compensation or a pardon on their criminal record. And they make their own decision to go to war companies of Ukraine.

In addition, blaming the media for the behaviour of the Russians who invaded Ukraine infantilises the perpetrators and deprives them of moral and legal responsibility. The film "Russians at War" attempts to equate aggressor and victim by referring to the "human cost" on both sides. Whatever "human cost" Russia has incurred - it is Russia's fault," Oleg Nikolenko added.

Moreover, the Russian film director flagrantly violated the Ukrainian legislation when she came to the temporarily occupied territories. Nikolenko noted that Trofimova spent a lot of time on the front line, so "it is naive to think that the Russian military or the government were not involved in her trip".