Council of Europe Hosts Screening of Evgeny Afineevsky's Documentary "Children in the Fire"

On April 14, on the sidelines of the ninth meeting of the Consultative Group on the Children of Ukraine (CGU) at the Council of Europe, a screening of the documentary film "Children in the Fire," directed by Evgeny Afineevsky, took place. The film is a deeply emotional and at the same time documentarily precise testimony to the crimes that Russia is committing against Ukrainian children during its military aggression. At the center of the film are real stories of children who survived shelling, occupation, loss of loved ones, deportation, and unlawful detention. A significant part of these stories is connected to the illegal removal of Ukrainian children to Russia and the complex process of bringing them home.

The film features children who suffered severe physical and psychological trauma: burns, injuries, prolonged exposure to shelling, separation from their families, and living under conditions of fear and uncertainty. This is an experience that should never be part of childhood, yet one they were forced to endure. At the same time, these are stories not only of pain, but also of resilience. Despite everything they have been through, Ukrainian children demonstrate incredible strength, dignity, and courage. They embody the future of a strong and invincible Ukraine.

The screening was organized by the Consultative Group on the Children of Ukraine with the support of the Permanent Representation of Ukraine to the Council of Europe. The event was opened by Permanent Representative of Ukraine to the Council of Europe Mykola Tochytskyi and Director General of Democracy and Human Dignity of the Council of Europe Marja Ruotanen.

The film was produced in cooperation with the Office of the First Lady of Ukraine, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, and the Ministry of Culture of Ukraine, with the participation of the Office of the Ukrainian Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights, which plays a key role in returning deported Ukrainian children.

The event served as an important reminder to the international community: crimes against Ukrainian children continue, and bringing every child home must remain an unconditional priority. The aggressor must be held accountable for all crimes committed against Ukrainian children.