Russian soldiers had the opportunity to express themselves in Venice

By Crispian Balmer

VENICE (Reuters) – Documentary filmmaker Anastasia Trofimova spent seven months living with Russian soldiers near the front lines in Ukraine and brought her story to the Venice Film Festival, seeking to challenge stereotypes.

“In Russia, they are heroes who never die. In the West, they are mostly war criminals, war criminals, war criminals,” the Russian-Canadian director told reporters ahead of the premiere of her film “Russians at War.”

“For me, the biggest shock was how ordinary they were. Very ordinary men, with families, a sense of humor, and a personal understanding of what is happening in this war.”

Working without permission, Trofimova embedded herself with a battle-scarred battalion as it marched through eastern Ukraine, gaining a rare glimpse into an army often in disrepair and in a state of regular disarray.

The weaponry is old, the troops travel in vehicles that offer little protection from attack, and at one point a drone operator drops a bomb of his own. The only things available seem to be cigarettes and alcohol.

Many soldiers admit they are fighting only for money and have grown increasingly disillusioned as the conflict that erupted with Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 drags on, denouncing state media coverage of the war as “lies.”

Others fight out of camaraderie, and their attitude hardens as the number of victims increases.

“People may not really understand the reasons for war, but they start fighting because they have lost someone. And maybe it is a question of revenge,” Trofimova said.

The film follows a team of medics as they recover bodies from the battlefield, breaking down in tears as three of their own unit return in black bags.

However, it shows only brief glimpses of actual fighting and gives no sense of the destruction Moscow's forces have inflicted on Ukraine, with one soldier dismissing as “impossible” accusations that Russian troops committed war crimes.

Trofimova said she saw no signs of war crimes during her time near the front.

“I think that's what the Western media is associating the Russian soldiers with at that time, because there were no other stories. It's a different story,” she said.

“This is my attempt to see through the fog of war and see the people for the people.”

Another documentary premiering in Venice, “Songs of Slow Burning Earth,” showed the suffering of Ukraine, and its director criticized the decision to screen the Russian film, saying it was too early to portray the invaders in a sympathetic light.

“I think that Russian filmmakers should… show the true face of the criminals of this war,” Olha Zhurba said on Wednesday.

Trofimova rejected the criticism, saying it was essential not to further fuel hatred and instead seek common ground.

“Since the start of the war on February 24, 2022, many bridges have been destroyed between Russia and the West,” she said.

“I would like this film to be perhaps not a bridge, but at least a rope that I can throw over it and that helps us see each other.”

“Russians at War” is screening out of competition at the Venice Film Festival, which ends Saturday.

(Reporting by Crispian Balmer, editing by Angus MacSwan)