Donbas is a region in Eastern Ukraine known worldwide for the fierce war with Russia. However, not everyone is aware that at the end of the 19th century, Donbas was the center of Belgian, German, French, British, and American settlements. Entrepreneurs from different countries built architecture and enterprises and introduced progressive technologies to this region.
After the revolution of 1917 and the USSR's rise to power, the factories and private property of European and North American settlers were taken, and the Soviet authorities destroyed and distorted the European heritage. The documentary film 'Eurodonbas' features experts, historians, and local people telling their tales and presenting evidence about the region's history. The film crew also discovered unique archival materials which were animated to show Donbas during the 19th century.
The documentary showcases the European heritage of cities such as Mariupol, Lysychansk, Druzhkivka, and New York village in the Donetsk region, just before the escalation of the Russo-Ukrainian War in 2022. These places of Donbas are well-recognized in the world mass media and were almost destroyed by Russian missiles during the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine.