Australian channel shows film about Russian army in war against Ukraine: embassy reacts
Kyiv • UNN
Ukraine's ambassador to Australia will demand a meeting with the leadership of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation in connection with the airing of a pro-Russian documentary that repeats Kremlin propaganda about the war in Ukraine.
Ambassador of Ukraine to Australia Vasyl Miroshnychenko will request a meeting with the leadership of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation ABC because the Four Corners program aired a documentary "Ukraine's War. The Reverse Side" by journalist Sean Langan, which tells about the Russian occupiers in the war against Ukraine. UNN reports this with reference to the Embassy of Ukraine in Australia.
"The program that aired on Four Corners , Ukraine's War: The Other Side, was the journalistic equivalent of a bowl of vomit. It undoubtedly repeated and broadcast countless blatant lies, historical distortions, racist claims, and propaganda narratives emanating from the Kremlin. And this fully served the interests of the Russian dictator Putin," the statement said.
It is noted that the program minimized and denigrated the deaths of thousands of innocent Ukrainian men, women and children killed by Russian soldiers as a result of the illegal and brutal invasion, strongly condemned by Australia and most countries in a UNGA resolution in March 2022.
"The Australian Broadcasting Corporation should be ashamed of itself for putting such utter garbage on the air. Through the Minister of Communications, I will ask to meet with the ABC managing director and the executive producer of Four Corners to understand the process that led to the release of this pro-Putin and pro-Kremlin propaganda by Australia's national broadcaster. I will share with them the facts that the program completely ignored," Miroshnychenko said.
In turn, ABC claims that the film "The War in Ukraine: The Other Side" is a challenging but "legitimate documentary made by respected journalist Sean Langan and first broadcast last month on Britain's ITV, which offers a rare insight into the lives of Russian soldiers during the war."
According to the channel, the film complements their understanding of the tragic conflict and shows the full impact of the war.
"The ABC will meet with the Ukrainian ambassador to discuss his concerns," the statement said.
The Australian Federation of Ukrainian Organizations has joined Ambassador of Ukraine to Australia Vasyl Miroshnychenko in strongly condemning the ABC's decision to air Sean Langan's documentary Ukraine's War - The Other Side.
"In a series of undisputed interviews, viewers see the filmmakers ... shaking hands, hugging and smiling alongside Russian soldiers and listening to the blatant lies, hatred and genocidal intentions against Ukrainians," the statement reads .
Addendum
Back on February 19, the British TV channel ITV1 aired a documentary by journalist Sean Langan called The Other Side. The author visited the trenches of the Russian military who invaded Ukrainian territory three times and spent some time with them near Avdiivka. In the movie, he gave the floor to the occupiers.
