In a powerful and visceral follow-up to his Oscar-winning film 20 Days in Mariupol, Ukrainian director and journalist Mstyslav Chernov has delivered another monumental piece of cinema. 2000 Meters to Andriivka is a stark, unflinching documentary that chronicles the gruelling advance of Ukrainian soldiers through a deadly wooded corridor in late 2023.
The Unimaginable Journey of a Single Mile
The film's title refers to the short distance – roughly a mile, or the length of 25 New York City blocks – separating Ukrainian forces from the abandoned, one-street settlement of Andriivka. This town was seen as a key notch in Russian supply lines. Yet, what should have been a quick manoeuvre became a lethal, weeks-long slog under constant fire.
Chernov, who was virtually the only documentarian on this specific frontline, captures a conflict defined by Russian artillery, sniper attacks, and relentless aerial assaults. The advance is depicted as a senseless barrage of carnage, a terrifying blend of First World War-style trench warfare and a modern dystopia ruled by drones.
A Feat of Frontline Film-making
The documentary is a masterful synthesis of harrowing first-person perspectives. Chernov seamlessly weaves together his own footage with bodycam recordings from the soldiers of Ukraine's Third Assault Brigade. These clips provide a raw, intimate window into the terror and fog of war.
In moments of fragile downtime, Chernov turns his lens on the soldiers themselves. They are mostly boyish men in their twenties, individuals who had other plans for their lives before Russia's full-scale invasion. The director captures their reflection and exhaustion, creating a poignant record. For many of these young men, it would become their final portrait.
An Essential, Devastating Record
At 106 minutes, 2000 Meters to Andriivka is an almost unbearably intense viewing experience. It leaves a profound psychic and physical impact, forcing audiences to confront the human cost of a war that the international community risks becoming numb to.
Chernov voices a central fear towards the film's end: "The longer the war goes on, the less people will care about it." This documentary stands as a vital bulwark against that apathy. More than just a film, it serves multiple crucial purposes:
- A document of 21st-century warfare: It shows the brutal reality of combat in the 2020s.
- A historical record: It counters propaganda by documenting what truly happened.
- A living memorial: It honours those who were lost in this specific struggle.
- A testament to courage: It highlights the resilience of Ukrainian resistance amidst profound senselessness.
While the territorial victory at Andriivka may have been pyrrhic and the wider conflict seems intractable, 2000 Meters to Andriivka ensures the specifics of this fight, and the individuals who fought it, will not be forgotten. It is astonishing, essential, and devastating film-making.
