RT Documentary

On October 7, 2023, about 2,500 Hamas militants infiltrated the Israeli border. It was deemed as the country's biggest security failure in recent history. Over a thousand Israelis perished that day, with more than two hundred taken hostage. How did they successful carry out an attack in the Gaza Strip, despite being under surveillance by Israeli satellites? Why were officers' alarming intelligence reports ignored? Take a dive into this in-depth exploration of the complexities and challenges faced by both the Palestinians and Israelis. In our new documentary exploring the essence of the Israel-Palestine conflict, find out more about the history behind this never ending war? Is there any path to reconciliation?

'Yes, they are taking away the Hungarian language! They want there to be no Hungarians. Transcarpathia has always suffered. Always!' says Olga Beregszasz from the village of Beregovo in Ukraine’s Transcarpathia. Like many ethnic Hungarians, Olga is upset about the state of her minority community in Ukraine’s westernmost region. Once part of Greater Hungary, Transcarpathia was ceded by Budapest as a result of the peace agreement that ended the first world war. At that time, Hungary lost two-thirds of their territory and millions of its compatriots, who now inhabit modern Austria, Croatia, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia and Ukraine. Transcarpathia is home to some 150,000 Hungarians. Recently, they have been disturbed by Kiev’s education law that would deprive Ukraine’s ethnic minorities to study in their mother tongues. In the wake of the conflict in Ukraine, many have fled to Hungary to avoid military service in the Ukrainian army. So voices calling for returning Greater Hungary have become more vocal. The documentary explores Hungary’s stance on its diaspora communities and why it matters amid heightened tensions in Europe. Hungarian activists explain why Budapest’s policy is common sense and not pro-Russian, as many in Europe describe it.

Kamikaze drones from Sayanogorsk, a reconnaissance plane from Perm, and cutting-edge UAVs from St. Petersburg—engineers all across Russia are assembling the crucial weapons required for the frontlines in Donbass. In Tambov, a production facility has been established in a bread factory. Today, combat drones are being assembled there. Factory employees raise funds and volunteer their free time to the drones production. Amateur engineer Yevgeny Biryukov from Sayanogorsk visited this factory to learn and set up a similar production back home. Currently, Yevgeny is putting together small batches of drones and personally delivers them to the frontlines in Lugansk. There, he trains soldiers on how to operate them. Tune in for our new documentary that showcases specialised drone training and the latest innovations from Russian inventors, yet to be launched into production.

Irina was only 3 years old when her mother, a worker at the Kirov Plant, decided to evacuate her from Leningrad. Working tirelessly at the tank production plant for weeks without a day off, her mother had no one to help care for her child. However, the train Irina was commuting in came under Nazi shelling. She was under the rubble for a day before she was rescued. Thus, the girl remained with her mother, enduring the most terrifying months in a city besieged by the Nazis. This is just one story among thousands of heroic Leningrad citizens. Despite hunger and constant shelling, they managed to donate 144 tons of blood over the years of the blockade to aid injured soldiers on the front lines, and never ceased the production of guns, which the soldiers of the Soviet Army desperately needed against the Nazis. In our new documentary, commemorating 80 years since the liberation of Leningrad from the Nazi blockade, witness the unwavering resilience of Leningraders like Irina and her mother.

North Waziristan is a region in northwestern Pakistan on the border with Afghanistan. It is peopled mainly by religiously conservative Pashtun tribes, which have lived primarily outside government control. The Taliban and Al-Qaeda operated virtually unhindered in this mountainous area for years. In 2014, the Pakistani authorities finally launched a military operation to drive the Islamic militants out. The two-year offensive displaced 930,000 people from 80,300 families. In a strictly controlled trip organised by the Pakistani military, an RT crew ventured to this infamous region to get an exclusive look at how the returnees are welcomed back to their homeland. The crew gets a glimpse of a heavily guarded and monitored entry point at the border, where returning residents receive greeting leis, medical treatment, and vaccines – as well as screening for terrorist links. The filmmakers are shown a model ‘deradicalisation centre’, a boy’s home, a boarding school, and a refugee centre for returning residents, all built and run by the Pakistani military. However, our film crew discovered that, in many ways, life in Waziristan has changed very little since the terrorists were ousted, as it is the authority of extreme religious traditions that rule here, regardless of who is actually in control. This is particularly true for women, who must still fully cover themselves and are prohibited from speaking to men from outside their family without the presence of a male relative. Men’s attitudes haven’t changed much either – many see themselves as members of a tribe rather than citizens of a country, and view the Pakistani army and authorities as foreign intruders. To see how this notorious area is recovering after years of conflict, watch “Waziristan. Hard Homecoming” on RTD.

During World War II, Finland was Germany's ally. Nazi ideas thrived among the Finnish leadership, who developed a theory of racial superiority. According to historian Sergey Verigin, at the beginning of the 20th century, radical circles tackled the idea of establishing the Greater Finland state, which would include all Finno-Ugric nations. The Finnish administration introduced military order in Soviet Republic of Karelia. Finns divided the population of occupied Soviet Karelia into 'citizens' and 'non-citizens.' Citizens were people of Finnish and Ugrian origins. They received shelter, jobs, and ration cards. All other nationalities, mostly Slavs, were superfluous to Greater Finland. "Mannerheim issued order No. 132 with a clause stating: put Russians in concentration camps. Karelia hadn't fallen, but the Karelians' fate had been decided: Russians put in camps and then expelled. They wanted to wipe out every Russian, " says Sergey Verigin, PhD, Director of the Institute of History at the Petrozavodsk State University. "In 1941, they went further than just reclaiming their lost territories. They occupied almost all of Karelia. Petrozavodsk was never Finnish, or Zaonezhye. They'd been Russian for centuries, they captured them too." From 1941 to 1944, the Finns built 14 concentration camps, 34 labor camps and dozens of prisons in Karelia. Approximately 25,000 people went through the archipelago of Finnish camp, according to official figures. Prisoners recall that every day they had to work for 10 to 12 hours and there was a terrible famine. Klavdia Nyuppieva, who survived the camp, recalls that her family of seven people had just seven spoons of flour per day. The mortality rate in the Finnish concentration camps was even higher than in the German ones. However, the exact number of people who perished in Karelia and Petrozavodsk's concentration camps is still unknown. That is why Finnish concentration camp survivors formed the Union of Former Juvenile Prisoners. Since 1990, the Society's members have been seeking justice. Is it still possible to find the perpetrators after all these years?

While flying close to a small airstrip just over the US border with Canada, the passenger aboard a small Cessna seemed to have a heart attack. After an emergency landing, he miraculously recovered, jumped out of the plane, threw some money at the pilot and ran away. A few days later, he resurfaced in Russia. It may sound like a spy novel plot, but it's just one episode in the true story of real-life American cop-turned-whistleblower, Mark Dougan. After exposing endemic corruption in the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office, he had to fled the United States and found refuge in Russia. After leaving the US Marine Corp in, Dougan wanted something more adventurous than an office job and became a police officer. After six years, he left the PBSO, appalled by the blatant criminal activity that he saw within the force. He later started a blog, giving honest cops a forum where they could anonymously discuss and expose illegal conduct by senior law enforcers, who predictably, hated it! After being hounded, harassed, and placed under surveillance for six years, The FBI raided John’s home and seized all his digital equipment; they even gave him his own code name; Bad Wolf. That was when the whistleblower realised he had to flee and escaped to Russia, leaving behind his wife and young children. RTD's new and exclusive film, Breaking Bad Wolf, tells his incredible story.

Started by Natalya Krapkina, a young Russian data analyst from St. Petersburg, the community of Aurora Hunters now counts over a thousand members. Tour agents, designers and shooting instructors by day, by night, these enthusiasts turn into fearless hunters, ready to drive and walk for miles laden with photo equipment to catch a glimpse of Aurora Borealis in the northern skies. The blanket of colourful, shimmering lights is one of the most beautiful natural phenomena in the world. And although St. Petersburg and the European part of Russia are pretty far from where the Northern Light’s epicentre, Aurora Hunters rely on preparation and luck, revelling in each new sighting.

"Mariupol is being restored. People are heading back and returning to a life of peace. They live and kids are being born. We live under a peaceful sky," says Olga Dyakonova, mother of Eduard Dyakonov, a Hero of Russia and special forces officer. "Probably… if our boys hadn't gone to defend us, we wouldn't be talking so calmly now," she adds. Olga's son, Eduard played a crucial role in liberating Mariupol, sacrificing his life to save friends and comrades. Find out why he chose to serve in the armed forces and how he acted in his final days. The documentary also sheds light on a mother’s unwavering strength and resilience in the face of loss. Olga carries on and supports other mothers of fallen Donbass fighters. How can a mother's love can guide her through life’s toughest struggles?

Their poignant love story was set in one of the most challenging places on Earth, the Donbass, amid Ukrainian artillery fire. The relationship between two heroes of the Special Military Operation — a political officer 'Sumerian' and Ensign Zoya — is a tale of love and family in the midst of war. 'Sumerian', a political instructor in the Russian Army, came across a delicate, yet strong-willed Ensign Zoya right on the frontlines in Lugansk. As the Ukrainian government declared war on its own people following the 2014 coup d'état, both 'Sumerian' and Zoya volunteered to join the war. Their meeting became a pivotal moment that transformed their entire lives. Discover how their love for each other helps them navigate through their toughest challenges and losses.

They’re known as football hooligans. They relish in the thrill of battle and prepare for it. In some places, there are rudimentary rules for fights, in other ‘old school’ countries there are none. The members of these violent gangs fancy themselves comrades in arms defending the honour of their city’s football club. But most people consider them nothing but a bunch of beasts. Videos and photos of hordes of football hooligans on the rampage have been front and centre in the press in recent years. However, little has emerged about who these people are, or why they behave the way they do. In this behind the scenes look into the world of hooliganism, you’ll meet some of these violent individuals and find out what makes them tick. In the end, it would seem, love of the fight trumps love of the game.

It’s not just another disaster film, it’s our future, and the COVID pandemic proved the challenges might be off-script. Unlike the coronavirus, global warming and overpopulation have been predicted. But while the politicians still saying ‘not on my shift’, our planet is starting to look more and more like the creation of the insane filmmaker. See what the scariest consequences of our disastrous play are.

Curious about Chechnya's fashion trailblazers? Wondering about how style evolves in this traditional society? This documentary explores how the architects of Chechen fashion unveil their rich cultural heritage. The Chechen Republic is a region in the North Caucasus of Russia, with abundant mountains and waterfalls, talented people, and most importantly, a culture of great originality. The Chechen Fashion House works to preserve national traditions, and blend it with new trends. Thanks to the designers, Chechen football players have become style icons in the republic. Their costumes are not just fashionable, they are sewn strictly in accordance with Chechen traditions. For example, with a certain number of buttons and pockets. Find out how modern Chechen fashion integrates current fashion trends in its art form.

Oak Flat is where deities live, medicinal plants grow and sacred ceremonies are held. The indigenous Apache people revere Oak Flat in Arizona as a holy place. The site, which is located 60 miles east of Phoenix, has been part of their cultural identity for thousands of years. But Oak Flat is at risk of being destroyed to make way for an enormous copper mine. Some of the country's largest deposits of copper ore are buried deep underground, and a mining company wants the land. The mining giant, Resolution Copper, is seeking to acquire the land and access copper. This has caused the Native Americans and environmental activists to rise up in protest as mining can cause the ground to collapse and massive craters to appear. Although Oak Flat is part of the Tonto National Forest, it changed in 2014 when Sen. John McCain added legislation that authorised the handover of Oak Flat to Resolution Copper. Not only does Resolution Copper threaten the Apache ceremonial grounds with destruction, they also endanger water resources in the area. The mine is estimated to require some 250 billion gallons of water - enough to supply a small city for 50 years. The documentary explores the fight for Oak Flat and Apache activists trying to protect their ancestral lands.

Phuc Tong has quite an unusual family, multiple adopted kids and they all owe him their lives. This Vietnamese man helps expecting mothers who find themselves in a desperate situation. Being pregnant out of wedlock carries severe social stigma here, bringing shame on a family. Relatives are rarely eager to help and so, left with no support, many women choose to terminate unplanned pregnancies, a story so common in Vietnam that it has Asia’s highest abortion rate. Phuc Tong hopes to change things, one baby at a time. He gives shelter to pregnant girls with nowhere else to go and tries to convince them to keep their babies. If a woman can’t afford to raise her child, Phuc Tong will take care of the baby until she is able to take on her parental responsibilities, often though, the mothers never return, leaving the child with Phuc Tong, who thinks of all his adoptive children as his own. Phuc Tong sees taking care of children abandoned by their mothers as his mission in life. Even when he can’t save a baby, he still hopes to save the unborn’s soul. For 12 years, he has buried aborted babies, giving them names that he writes on tombstones in his backyard cemetery. Some doubt the complete selflessness of his charity, others his talents as a foster parent, but these children are living proof that he does make difference.

Pavla Nikolaevna is a ‘chumworker’, a housewife in the tundra. Together with her husband, they continue their family ideal of driving reindeer herds in the far north. Instead of a regular flat this Russian family prefer a chum, a reindeer fur-covered hut. Even in winter, when the temperature outside falls to -34° C, they move the chum several times a week, following the ancient herding tradition. While the men are watching the herds, the women work at the chum making their snow dwelling comfortable. The family with seven children has a flat in a nearby city, but they keep returning to the land of the reindeer. Watch why tundra is not letting the out.

NGOs are organisations whose purpose is not to make a profit, they are based on the principles of kindness, justice, and mutual assistance in difficult times. Anna Chapman is trying to investigate the true, secret goals of Western NGOs. Entire networks of NGOs have appeared in Russia, and their negative impact on a country’s stability as well as its society, is profound. Take Syria for example, there is a systematic structure for the enhancement of political conflicts in the country, and there are also several instances where the activities of Western NGOs aggravates the situation, not only in Syria but in other countries. Vanessa Billy is a British journalist who has been working in Syria since the beginning of hostilities. She was the first to stand against Western indoctrination and tried to find out the truth about the activities of the “White Helmets”. It turned out that the main goal of this organisation is not at all noble: rather than helping the victims of war, they actively promote pro-Western propaganda and anti-government ideas in Syria. Watch our documentary to find out what lies behind the pretty picture of NGOs. Do they really have such a strong influence on the course of events around the world?

In North Dakota, USA, fracking now allows billions of barrels of oil to be extracted from the Bakken rock formation. In the last ten years, ND has become the country's second-biggest oil-producing state, and it now has the lowest unemployment rate. Oil wells have sprouted all round small agricultural towns like Williston and Watford City. The boom has brought a sudden influx of men who work 12-16 hour days for six-figure salaries, so there's now a huge population imbalance with many more men than women. Stressed and lonely oil workers with money to spend are turning to alcohol, drugs and sex, but meeting that demand brings consequences. Bars and adult websites are where the men go to meet prostitutes, many of whom have been trafficked by pimps who force them to have tattoos to brand them as property. Police have been overwhelmed by an exploding crime rate, and many local women have started carrying guns as protection against rising violence. RTD meets victims of the sex trade and a survivor advocate who helps them escape the sinister underbelly of a new, oil-fueled Wild West.

Victor lost his right arm and leg in combat, and Vitaly lost both legs fighting against the Ukrainian nationalists in Donbass. Now they are one step away from returning to normal lives, but it takes a lot of willpower. However, these guys are brave and willing to live and learn to walk again. Anatoly Shevchenko, a prosthetics engineer who also lost his leg 15 years ago, now helps veterans to recover and get used to their new arms and legs. His clinic operates free of charge and raises funds for modern prostheses so as every one may afford this expensive procedure. What does it feel like — helping someone to learn to walk again?

Hidden away in a valley in Ecuador is the world's largest population of people with Laron syndrome. This rare form of dwarfism wasn't thought to have any wider medical significance until local doctor Jaime Guevara started to research the condition. His discovery of apparent immunity to cancer and diabetes in this population has attracted the attention of the international medical community, sparking hopes that a cure to these diseases could be found. RTD follows the doctor and his team as they conduct research into the rare condition that one day may benefit all mankind.

"I've been through a big tragedy. Apart from my monastery, which I've been building for years, being destroyed, my mum was killed in the monastery grounds. She was walking when a shell landed five metres from her and, she died instantly," recalls Sister Mariamna, Resident Nun of St. Nicholas Convent of Dormition. Despite risking her own life, Sister Mariamna continues her service in the church. Even in the toughest days, it is Father Zosima's prayers and testament that help Sister Mariamna carry on. Watch the documentary to see this extraordinary man firsthand. He foresaw today's events 40 years ago. As Zosima treated everyone with care and love, his prayers still support his followers.

As Grad shells and mortar rounds coming from Ukraine damaged dams and water reservoirs, the entire Donbass was eventually cut off from its water supply. This is when volunteers came to the rescue. ‘I am a very happy person, especially now that we have water. With my mother bedridden, I really didn't know what to do, and so… But now, they’re pumping well-water through the pipes’, says Viktoria Kvasnikova, a local village resident. Volunteers drilled a well in her backyard, and, after months without water Viktoria can finally get it without risking her life. Like many other Donbass citizens, she got used to constant Ukrainian shelling and finally being able to have easy water access was a great joy. Since the spring of 2022, Novruz and his 9-year-old son Elnur - despite the risk involved - constantly look for water and deliver up to 27 barrels per day to the bombed areas. Volunteers who help with water supplies say any stationary equipment for drilling wells is immediately attacked by the Ukrainians. All work has to be done quickly and discreetly. However, no matter the risk, volunteers continue to deliver water to more and more Donbass residents. What drives these people to help others at their own peril?

Often praised as one of the world’s most architecturally intriguing, the Moscow Metro is also technologically advanced. And, thanks to the recent wave of expansion, with its tracks extending over 400 kilometres, it’s become the largest one in Europe. RT journalist Erick Fonseca Zárate ventures underground and takes part in digging new tunnels, exploring its many stations, each with its signature look, discovering facts Muscovites will find intriguing. Launched in 1935, the Moscow Metro started with just one line that stretched a modest 11 kilometres. Nowadays, it boasts 14 lines, three of them circles, with the outer ring still under construction. The Moscow Metro carries 9 million passengers a day and is by far the most efficient means of transportation that can get one across the city, not being prone to traffic jams or delays. Erick wouldn’t be himself if he didn’t meet some stunning personalities during his explorations. He vies with the Winner of the Moscow Metro marathon for the first place in a race around the metro, hitches a ride in the cabin of a train operated by a woman driver, and even meets a recent social media sensation – a Spiderman throwing impromptu performances on train cars.

For people in the know, Serbia’s famous annual Guca trumpet festival, is “The Serbian Woodstock”. Every summer, for 5 days, the village becomes one big concert venue with lively and upbeat trumpet music blaring from just about everywhere, restaurants, clubs and out in the street. The many participating brass bands compete for money, but mainly for fame. The fun, almost anarchic Guca atmosphere though, may be what the public sees of the festival but behind the scenes it is a story of hard work, dedication, high hopes and life on the road. It may look fun but, for the bands that make Guca unforgettable, it’s an endurance test. RT Doc joins one group of musicians on their way to the festival. “Orchestra Daniela” was formed in 2003, when its members were just children; the youngest was only 6-years-old. It is the first brass band in Serbia to be led by, and named after, a woman. From the start, the orchestra has taken a hands-on approach to practicing, polishing their craft by playing at weddings and competitions across Serbia and beyond. They’ve won numerous awards and accolades, but are still pursuing that elusive goal, true stardom. Every year they travel to Guca. For them it’s not just a chance to make money, but an opportunity to get noticed by industry leaders. On the road they explain how the band was formed and what it takes to be a travelling musician. They also share some trade secrets while talking about where their love for trumpet music comes from. As always, they arrive in Guca hoping to steal the show and that the stars, of both types, will smile on them.

We can all see the frightening consequences of climate change. In Yemen, increasingly hot summers are driving farmers from the land and maybe fuelling a gruesome war. In the Norwegian Arctic, average temperatures have risen by 4-5 degrees Celsius, threatening the icecap. Population economist Jesus Crespo Cuaresma tells RTD about the link he discovered between global warming and the Arab Spring. Striking high school students inspired by Greta Thunberg are demanding “something must be done”. However, is drastically reducing carbon emissions the best solution to the conflict between humans and their environment?