Russian invasion of Ukraine: Work of Scottish charity in eastern Ukraine captured in documentary to be premiered in Edinburgh

Oleg Dmitriev, from Edinburgh, is featured in a documentary filmed on the front line of the war in Ukraine

In a bombed-out nursery in the Ukrainian suburb of Pivnichna Saltyvka, in Kharkiv, Scottish charity worker Oleg Dmitriev breaks down.

The building is destroyed and a couple of baby dolls and a soft toy of Winnie the Pooh character Tigger lie amongst the rubble of brightly coloured children’s furniture, as a reflection of Mr Dmitriev, crouching in the corner as he is overcome by emotion, is captured in a mirror.

“I have two boys, and when I imagined, I just couldn't bear it,” he remembers. “I was filming the nursery on my phone and at some point I collapsed and started crying.”

Oleg Dmitriev, of Sunflower Scotland, delivering aid to Novooleksandrivka village near Vovchansk in February last year.

The footage of his visit to the nursery, last year, is featured in a film revealing life in eastern Ukraine, to be premiered in Edinburgh this week.

The work of Mr Dmitriev’s charity, Sunflower Scotland, is included in US filmmaker Aaron MacCarley’s documentary, Sunflowers in the Rain, among stories of other volunteers and residents living in cities, towns and villages close to the front line of the war, which began two years ago on Saturday.

Mr Dmitriev, from Edinburgh, says he was approached by Mr MacCarley directly to take part in the film.

"Aaron messaged me and said he wanted to do a film about the war in Ukraine and our work,” he says. “We went together to very dangerous places, like Vovchansk, where people are shelled every day. People live under constant artillery shelling. I don’t care about politics, my job is when I see struggling people, I help them.

Filmmaker Aaron MacCarley in Toretsk, Ukraine.

"The film is really great because it tells not just the front line reporting, but it reminds everyone of the suffering of the ordinary people. It shows what we, the simple people, can do to help them.”

He adds: “Aaron is a very brave man. He went into the meat grinder himself, he saw it all. He did not shy from going to dangerous places.”

Mr Dmitriev travelled with Mr MacCarley to the area close to Bakhmut early last year, which has long been a hotspot of fighting between Russian and Ukrainian troops.

"That was when Ukraine was defending Bakhmut, so it was a very hard time,” he remembers. “My wife’s brother was one of the defenders of Bakhmut and I met him and he told me they had no support. They were digging trenches in frozen soil.”

A picture taken by Oleg Dmitriev in a bombed out nursery in the Kharkiv suburb of Pivnichna Saltyvka shows children's toys amongst the rubble.

He persuaded Mr MacCarley to premiere the film in Edinburgh due to the city’s artistic heritage.

“When he told me the film was almost ready, I said ‘let’s premiere it in Edinburgh’,” he said. “Edinburgh is so well-known for its culture and film. He said ‘yes’.”

Since its launch a year ago, Sunflower Scotland, which sources aid directly from Ukraine in a bid to support the local economy, as well as supporting those in need, has delivered aid to over 11,000 people in Ukraine's frontline areas and helped 1087 orphans and children from impoverished families.

The film premiere is on Friday evening at Edinburgh's City Chambers.