‘This film is about truth’: Ukrainian officials praise Independent’s first feature-length documentary

‘This is important for the international community to know,’ says adviser to president Volodymyr Zelensky’s chief of staff

Senior figures in Ukraine have praised The Independent’s first feature-length documentary, which centres on Kyiv’s unprecedented search for its missing and dead during Russia’s war.

The 40-minute documentary from international correspondent Bel Trew, titled The Body in the Woods, premiered at Kyiv railway station on Saturday, one day after the first anniversary of Vladimir Putin’s invasion.

In attendance at Saturday’s screening were several prominent Ukrainian officials and some of the families featured in the film, which marks the first in-depth investigation into the scale of the difficulties Ukrainians face trying to find and identify those killed.

“This work should be respected so much, because it is difficult to imagine how difficult [it is] to make a movie about this,” said Serhiy Leshchenko, an adviser to president Volodymyr Zelensky’s chief of staff, Andriy Yermak.

“But it’s even a thousand times more difficult to imagine how difficult it is to conduct this work, to identify the bodies of Ukrainians killed during this war.”

The 40-minute documentary from international correspondent Bel Trew is titled The Body in the Woods (Bel Trew)

“I’m stressed after this movie, frankly speaking,” added Mr Leschenko, a former MP and journalist. “I cannot find colourful words but this is important for society to know and important for the international community to know, so thank you for making this film happen.”

The film opens with the discovery of a body of a young man, found bound, shot and burned near an abandoned Russian camp in woods outside Kyiv. As Trew attempts to establish his identity and the story of his final days, she uncovers the nightmare world inhabited by thousands of families now trying to find their murdered loved ones.

Alexander Kamyshin, the head of Ukraine’s railways, said he was previously unaware that the harrowing effort to identify Russia’s victims – which could take decades – threatened to be so longstanding.

“I am grateful to Bel and people like her who come to my country and help my people deal with such complicated issues,” Mr Kamyshin said. “It’s something we’d never deal with on our own, and I’m really grateful for that. Thank you Bel.”

Mykola Kuleba, head of the Save Ukraine charity, added: “This film is about truth. We have to know – we have to know what happened.”

The Body in the Woods will be released on The Independent’s website and new smart TV app on 1 March. Saturday’s premiere is followed by charity screenings in London and New York.