Directed by Konrad Szołajski, the film explores the concept of hybrid warfare in Eastern Europe.
Putin's Playground investigates a series of sabotage actions in Central and Eastern European countries, attributed to Russian operatives.
The director emphasized the film's intent to raise awareness about the underrecognized and often underestimated threats of hybrid warfare.
"I want this film to serve as an alarm bell," Szołajski stated, stressing the urgency and significance of recognizing these covert operations.
The documentary, a collaboration of Norwegian, Czech, Bulgarian, Latvian, German, and Polish production teams, began as an exploration of the so-called Waitergate scandal in Poland in 2014.
It evolved to include a broader spectrum of Russian hybrid activities across Europe, investigating of how these and other incidents fit into a pattern of Russian interference in the region.
Szołajski, who also appears in front of the camera for the first time, partnered with producer Małgorzata Prociak to delve into these complex issues.
"The film started as an investigation into incidents like ammunition depots explosions in the Czech Republic, which were intended to disrupt the supply of munitions to Ukraine," Szołajski said.
He told the media: "My colleague Filip Remunda, a Czech producer and director, said that at the same time there was a wiretapping scandal in Poland, Russian saboteurs were operating in their country, blowing up ammunition depots. It later emerged that these same agents of Putin were involved in many such operations in several countries: in the Czech Republic, England, Bulgaria and Montenegro. Filip asked if I would consider these as parallel operations.
"In a media operation, one of the most fiercely attacked individuals was Minister Sikorski, likely because he supported Ukraine as the Polish Minister of Foreign Affairs and as an envoy of the European Union. Not without reason, he was at the top of the Kremlin's list of people to be discredited.
"The ammunition from the blown-up depots in the Czech Republic was supposed to go to Ukraine, to defend Donbas. This was the common denominator of both operations: Ukraine – a country attacked by Russia – was to be cut off from Western support ... Our investigation indicated that we needed to go to Bulgaria, because there were 10 times as many such incidents there. It began to snowball."
The documentary features interviews with political figures, journalists and locals from affected areas, providing a diverse perspective on the ongoing influence and tactics of the Kremlin.
Notable appearances include former Latvian President Vaira Vīķe-Freiberga and former Bulgarian President Rosen Plevneliev, who discuss how Russian hybrid warfare has impacted their countries.
Putin's Playground is also scheduled to be featured at the Odesa International Film Festival in Kyiv this July, further highlighting its relevance and timeliness amid ongoing geopolitical tensions in the region.
Szołajski's career includes a significant focus on political issues in post-2015 Poland, collaborating with Scandinavian, French and German television stations.
His production company, ZK Studio, has produced several politically themed documentaries highlighting contentious issues such as abortion rights and government policies in Poland.
(rt/gs)
Source: PAP