Moving along from the Russian documentary “Russia at War”, “2000 Meters to Andriivka” presents a “reality show” featuring a battle in the Ukrainian Russian war. And we are serious about a “reality show” here as the viewer is presented with a gritty and horrific slice of raw reality where reality is the name of the game. Russian and Ukrainian soldiers dying and wounded before your eyes. Explosives all about, gunfire and Ukrainian soldiers ferreting out Russian soldiers from trenches either killing them or offering life by willingness to accept their surrender.
A small team of Ukrainian journalists, camera in hand, follows The 3rd Assault Brigade during a 2023 Ukrainian counteroffensive to retake the town of Andriivka from Russian troops. The Brigade must traverse a killing narrow swath of forest 2,000 meters ahead to retake the town. Ukrainian HQ directs the charge using drone technology to pinpoint enemy positions. Technology permits real time observation so precise individual soldiers may be pinpointed and “eliminated” by drones dropping explosives on them or directing Ukrainian troops where to position themselves. As in “Russia at War” this battle on the land is one driven by deadly technology.
Nestled in between combat footage are discussions with the main journalist (and director) and the Ukrainian soldiers, many of whom he notes died subsequently in other battles. The desperate nature of battle punctuated by pockets of relaxed humanity explaining what they did before entering the conflict and their views of why they are fighting. Unlike the Russian soldiers in “Russia at War” the Ukrainian soldiers have a clear purpose of liberating their country. One Russian soldier from a Russian satellite state, Abdul, is captured and asked by his Ukrainian captors why he is in the Ukraine he clearly has no idea.
At a very high cost the Ukrainians capture Andriivka but aside from rubble and rotting bodies Andriivka exists only in name. In a “Hamburger Hill” mode the Russians retake Andriivka in 2025.
Of course, you may be thinking about the futility of war sparked by watching this documentary but during war for many soldiers there is no luxury of time to muse about this maxim.
Welcome to hell.
You may watch the trailer here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CirdrDSrjSQ
The film has screened at various film festivals and commences a limited United States release in California and New York on 25July2025.
Directed and written by Mstyslav Chernov.
RKS 2025 Documentary Film Rating 95/100.
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