Film screening: “The War They Play”

The film reveals how, with around 1.6 million children living under occupation, access to Ukrainian education is cut off, Russian curricula are imposed, and children are drawn into paramilitary youth structures preparing them for military service.

Through testimonies and verified evidence, the investigation shows how militarization is enforced through pressure and fear,  including threats of separation from families. The documentary follows families forced to flee to protect their children, and teenagers sent to military training camps under false promises, uncovering a broader system that turns education and childhood into tools of war.

“There were moments when I lost consciousness. It happened three times. [Russian military trainers] brought ammonia, I sniffed it, got up, and ran on with the rifle,” recalls one of the children featured in the film.

As author of the documentary Olesia Bida notes, this is a policy designed to leave children with no choice but to join Russia’s army, normalizing war and reshaping identity from an early age.

📅 Thursday, May 28
🕖 19:00
📍 Ukraine House in Denmark, Strandgade 27B, Copenhagen

We hope to see you at the screening!