Ukraine Urges EU to Ban Russian Propaganda Film with Secret Screenings, Following Portugal’s Lead

Belgium Confronts Potential Russian Propaganda Film Screening in Brussels

Ukrainian diplomats have issued an urgent appeal to Brussels authorities to block the screening of a Russian documentary they describe as war propaganda. The film, “Ukraine, Russia: Behind the Smoke Screen,” is scheduled to be shown on March 19, raising alarm bells about potential disinformation in the European capital.

The Embassy of Ukraine in Belgium strongly condemned the planned screening, characterizing it as “another attempt to spread disinformation related to Russia’s military aggression against Ukraine.” In their statement, diplomats emphasized that similar screening attempts were recently halted in Portugal due to the content’s propagandistic nature.

“The documentary serves as a direct tool of information warfare, systematically distorting the reality of Russian military aggression,” the embassy stated, highlighting concerns about the film’s content and intent.

The screening is being organized by Kairos Presse, a group led by editor-in-chief Alexandre Penass. What has particularly troubled Ukrainian officials is the organizers’ strategy to conceal exact screening locations until just 24-48 hours before the event, an apparent tactic to evade public oversight and potential government intervention.

This isn’t the first such attempt in Brussels. A previous event titled “Carnets de Russie,” scheduled for January 31, 2026, was canceled after local authorities intervened. The pattern suggests a persistent campaign to disseminate Russian narratives about the war in Ukraine within European Union territory.

The Ukrainian Embassy’s appeal comes at a sensitive time in EU-Russia relations. Since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the EU has implemented nine packages of sanctions against Moscow and provided substantial financial, humanitarian and military aid to Ukraine. Brussels has also taken measures against Russian disinformation, including banning Russian state media outlets RT and Sputnik from broadcasting in the bloc.

The case highlights the ongoing information battle being waged alongside the physical conflict. Russian propaganda efforts have intensified across Europe, attempting to sway public opinion and create division among EU member states regarding their support for Ukraine.

Media experts note that propaganda films often use sophisticated techniques to blend partial truths with fabrications, making them particularly challenging to counter. They typically present one-sided narratives that ignore documented war crimes, minimize Russian aggression, or falsely frame Ukraine as the provocateur in the conflict.

“Providing a public platform for narratives that relativize aggression and deny responsibility for war crimes is incompatible with democratic values and the rule of law,” the embassy’s statement emphasized, underscoring the broader principles at stake.

Belgian authorities now face a decision that balances free speech considerations with concerns about foreign information warfare. The EU has increasingly recognized the security implications of propaganda, particularly when it comes from hostile states actively engaged in warfare against an EU candidate country.

Meanwhile, Ukraine’s defense capabilities continue to evolve with European support. As noted by Euromaidan Press, Europe is developing into a reliable source of ammunition for Ukraine, with new production lines being established across the continent, beginning in Belgium. These facilities will support F-16 fighter jets and air defense systems, representing a significant enhancement to Ukraine’s long-term defense infrastructure.

The embassy has called for “decisive and timely measures” to cancel the screening and prevent the legitimization of Russian disinformation in public spaces, emphasizing the urgency of addressing what they view as an imminent information security threat in the heart of Europe.