In the Swiss canton of Ticino, a scheduled screening of the Russian propaganda film Maidan, la strada verso la guerra (Maidan: The Road to War) — produced by the Russian state broadcaster RT (Russia Today) has been cancelled.
Local authorities had previously granted permission for the screening, which was due to take place on 29 January 2026 in the town of Muralto. However, following public attention, appeals from the Ukrainian community and concerns raised by relevant institutions, the event was called off.
The film promotes key Russian propaganda narratives, portraying the Revolution of Dignity as the cause of the war and placing responsibility for shelling of civilians in Donbas in 2014–2022 on the Ukrainian army. Critics stressed that the aim of the screening was to legitimise Russia’s aggression in the eyes of a European—particularly Italian-speaking—audience and to create the illusion of an “alternative point of view”.
The event was organised by well-known supporters of the Kremlin. Among them is Vincenzo Lorusso, founder of the organisation Donbass Italia, who openly supports the so-called “DPR/LPR”, raises funds for occupation forces and spreads disinformation in Italy and Switzerland. Also involved was Eliseo Bertolasi, a journalist who has long cooperated with Russian state media Sputnik and RT and has repeatedly visited occupied Ukrainian territories as an “international observer” at illegitimate pseudo-referendums.
Information about the planned screening was made public by Ukrainian artist Iryna Vinnik, after which calls followed to inform Ukraine’s Ministry of Culture, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ukrainian State Film Agency, the Ukrainian Association of Cinematographers and the Embassy of Ukraine in Switzerland. The Ukrainian State Film Agency has previously expressed public concern about this film.
The cancellation in Ticino comes amid broader European resistance to Russian cultural propaganda. According to Russian sources, local authorities in the Italian city of Gorizia have also banned a similar event, although organisers are reportedly attempting to hold screenings in other cities in a semi-closed format.
Experts emphasise that such films are part of an information war and have a direct impact on shaping a distorted perception of Ukraine’s recent history in Europe. The cancellation of the screening in Switzerland is being viewed as an important precedent and an example of an effective response to Russian disinformation.