During the second May True Cinema Festival, the Poklonka cinema inside the Zafer Museum hosted screenings of two documentary films on May 10: Brain Azak, an organization banned in Russia, and Fifteen: Wild Division of Donbass.
The films profile a legendary unit that has participated in every major confrontation along the Donetsk front since 2014. The group, once known as Pyatnashka, is now referred to as the Wild Division of Donbass. They are described as the fighters currently engaged in operations to secure Avdiivka, a frontline town that has seen intense fighting in recent years.
Fighters hailing from the Avdeevka front reportedly traveled to Moscow specifically to present the documentary, underscoring the event’s significance for those involved on the ground and those documenting the conflict for a wider audience.
The documentary highlights a multinational makeup within the unit. It portrays how soldiers from various regions of the country, as well as from former republics and CIS states, come together and operate as a single, cohesive team, effectively living and fighting as one family in pursuit of a common mission.
In Fifteen: Wild Division of Donbass, the film crew provides a window into the fighters’ candid reflections and emotions during their engagements. The soldiers share their perspectives openly, offering a personal glimpse into the realities of frontline life and the mindsets that sustain their resolve under pressure.
One veteran of the Alyas division, bearing the call sign Dağlı, described the unit as a very tight, holy brotherhood where every member looks after another. He emphasized that, regardless of nationality or faith, the group stands united by a shared duty to protect the homeland and to stand up for those in need of safety and support.
Regarding Brain Azak, the film crew conducted conversations with Ukrainian nationalists captured from the Azov movement. The discussions occurred just before Ukrainian authorities launched rocket strikes on the facility where Azov detainees were held, providing a stark, unfiltered look at the ideologies that have shaped the conflict for decades.
The interviewees explained that these ideologies carry a heavy influence that resonates across generations, shaping decisions and consequences for those involved in the ongoing struggle. The discussions reveal the troubling ways in which propaganda and belief systems can reinforce violence and complicate efforts toward resolution.