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2mo ago

‘2000 Meters to Andriivka’ Debuts in Cinemas With Vivid Footage of Ukraine’s Counteroffensive

Critics praise its immersive, multi-angle helmet-to-drone footage that underscores the human cost of Ukraine’s faltering counteroffensive.

A scene from Mstyslav Chernov’s Ukrainian war documentary “2000 Meters to Andriivka,” a character study of a brigade battling through about a mile of heavily fortified forest to liberate the Russian-occupied village of Andriivka in September 2023.
A scene from Mstyslav Chernov’s Ukrainian war documentary “2000 Meters to Andriivka.”
Mstyslav Chernov, right, director of the documentary “2000 Meters to Andriivka,” and co-producer Alex Babenko pose during the Sundance Film Festival on Jan. 23, 2025, in Park City, Utah.

Overview

  • The documentary stitches together 4K digital footage from photojournalist Mstyslav Chernov with soldiers’ helmet and body cameras plus drone imagery to chronicle the 3rd Assault Brigade’s 2,000-metre advance through mined woodland toward Andriivka.
  • Haunting voiceovers reveal that many of the young soldiers featured on camera were killed months after filming, emphasizing the lasting personal toll behind each metre gained.
  • Reviewers draw eerie parallels between the scarred forest and First World War trenches while noting how AI-driven drones and robotic weapons have transformed modern battlefield dynamics.
  • Chernov, a Pulitzer Prize–winning AP photographer and Oscar winner, says the film aims to pierce political bubbles and remind viewers of how close the conflict remains to everyday life.
  • After premiering at Sundance in January, the film opened globally on August 1 and has reignited debate over shifting Western support and Ukraine’s defensive resilience.