Scandalous film about the life of Russian occupiers in Ukraine screened in Australia: Ambassador called the film "a bowl of vomit"

On March 18, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) aired the documentary Ukraine's War: The Other Side, which depicts the war in Ukraine from the perspective of the Russian occupiers. This incident was immediately criticized by the Ukrainian embassy in Australia and the Ukrainian community in the country.

The film, directed by British filmmaker Sean Langan, shows the life of Russian invaders at the front in Ukraine through their eyes. The Embassy of Ukraine in Australia posted a statement on its Facebook page addressing the ABC.

"Last night's program on Four Corners, 'The Ukrainian War: The Other Side" was the journalistic equivalent of a bowl of vomit. It undoubtedly repeated and aired countless outright lies, distortions of history, racist claims and propaganda narratives emanating from the Kremlin. Given that this was entirely in the interests of Russian dictator Putin," the statement, which was written by Ukraine's Ambassador to Australia Vasyl Miroshnychenko, reads.

The embassy also condemned the fact that the film "minimizes and humiliates" the deaths of thousands of Ukrainian civilians killed by the Russian invasion. ABC is accused of "airing this utter garbage".

"The film also downplayed and demeaned the deaths of thousands of innocent Ukrainian men, women and children who were killed by Russian soldiers during the illegal and brutal invasion strongly condemned by Australia and the majority of the world in a UNGA resolution in March 2022," the statement reads.

The Federation of Ukrainian Organizations of Australia also criticized the film, claiming that it provides a platform to justify the "brutal invasion" and shows director Langan "shaking hands, hugging and smiling at the Russian occupiers."

"In a series of unquestioned interviews, viewers see stomach-churning footage of the director shaking hands, hugging and smiling alongside Russian soldiers, and listening to blatant lies, hatred and genocidal intentions against Ukrainians," the Federation of Ukrainian Organizations of Australia wrote on its Facebook page, showing a photo of Ukrainians protesting.

"It's nonsense for the ABC to pretend this was fearless journalism that gave us 'extraordinary' access to the 'other side'. This was a staged, Kremlin-controlled media event designed to justify Russia's disgusting invasion of a sovereign country," the statement said.

ABC, on the other hand, defends its position, calling the film "challenging but legitimate" and an "important contribution" to war coverage. The media outlet claims that it "offers audiences a rare glimpse into the lives of Russian soldiers."

Moreover, the Australian National Broadcaster, as noted by The Guardian, revealed that the film is only one of a series of programs about the Russian-Ukrainian "conflict" that are shown to viewers on the air of the Four Corners program.

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