On 11 March 2026, the Embassy of Ukraine in Australia, together with the British High Commission in Canberra, hosted a special screening of the powerful documentary Children in the Fire at Palace Electric Cinema in Canberra.

The film, directed by Evgeny Afineevsky, tells the heartbreaking story of Ukrainian children growing up under Russia’s war against Ukraine, highlighting their resilience, trauma, and courage in the face of unimaginable circumstances.

The event brought together members of the Ukrainian community in Australia, ambassadors and diplomats, representatives of the Australian Government, as well as friends and supporters of Ukraine.

The Embassy of Ukraine expresses its sincere gratitude to the British High Commission in Australia for sponsoring the screening and supporting efforts to ensure that these important stories are heard by international audiences. Special thanks were extended to Dr Brian Jones, Deputy Head of Mission, for his thoughtful and moving remarks during the event, and to Mr Hanno Trayhurn, Head of Foreign and Security Policy, for his meaningful support in making the screening possible. 

These stories are difficult and painful, but they must be seen and heard. Behind every statistic of Russia’s war against Ukraine are real people - and children whose lives have been profoundly and forever changed.