Evgeny Afineevsky’s Netflix Ukraine documentary is more relevant now than ever before. Winter on Fire gives you the historical context you need to understand the political situation in Ukraine. The country is facing a dire situation with Russia invading its territories and proclaiming war. While we pray for the current situation to get better in near future, it is necessary to understand why the war is happening. Winter on Fire demonstrates how United Ukraine undermined Russia’s powers. Evgeny explains, “The great lesson we see with ‘Winter on Fire’ is that Ukraine can stand for their beliefs and unite against their enemies.” 

How is the Netflix documentary on Ukraine related to the current state of affairs? 

The seeds were laid in November 2013. The people of Ukraine did not side with president Viktor Yanukovych’s pro-Putin views. Ukrainian wanted to enter the European Union but the President had other plans. The Netflix Ukraine documentary reveals Journalist Mustafa Nayyem asked people to assemble for a peaceful demonstration.

The demonstration took place at Independence Square in Kyiv. The peaceful demonstration turned violent when Viktor decided to use force to put an end to the protest. Viktor’s decision had violent repercussions. He fled the country while the country recorded 125 casualties with 1890 injured, while Russia captured Crimea. 

United against the authoritarian powers 

Evgeny was successful in driving his point that the Ukrainians were fearless and were united against a common goal in Winter on Fire.

With an 8.4 IMDb rating, the documentary is relevant to the current political scenario. Roger Ebert calls the Netflix documentary a “fight for freedom” showcasing the “resiliency of human spirit.” Ukraine did emerge victoriously but the land of Crimea still continues to be under dispute.

Variety calls the documentary a “simplified instant history as a triumphalist narrative.” Weirdly enough, the film never touches on the subject of Viktor’s corruption. Evgeny only adds a text to conclude “the country remains in turmoil following Russia’s annexation of Crimea.” The movie can be vivid at time. For instance, IndieWire writes that the film illustrates “the intensity of the circumstances with shocking moment-to-moment detail.“

Have you watched this film yet? Will you stream it on Netflix? Let us know in the comments below.