People Are Recommending Netflix Documentary To Better Understand Ukraine's History

It's almost two days now since Russia declared war on Ukraine, with thousands of troops flooding over the border.

The conflict has led to people looking for more information about Ukraine's history to better understand what is happening.

And many have been recommending Netflix documentary Winter on Fire: Ukraine's Fight For Freedom as a good place to start. Take a look at the trailer below:

The film is set against the backdrop of a wave of protests and civil unrest in 2013 and 2014, which rippled across the country after the Ukrainian government suspended the signing of the European Union–Ukraine Association Agreement.

Instead, it chose to move closer to Russia.

In November 2013, thousands of Ukrainians took to the streets to protest against the then President, Viktor Yanukovych, and his growing alliance with Russian president Vladimir Putin.

As the authorities looked to stamp out the demonstrations, violence broke out and the conflict resulted in Yanukovych being ousted and fleeing the country in February 2014.

Shortly after, Russian forces invaded Crimea and annexed the peninsula, which is situated just south of mainland Ukraine.

The film follows the entire period, and has been praised by many for offering a portrayal of the courage displayed by the Ukrainian people and providing a deeper understanding of the country's relationship with its neighbour.

Since Putin ordered his forces into Ukraine, many have been urging others to watch the documentary.

Writing on Twitter, one user said: "If you’re feeling lost and need some more context on the Ukraine/Russia conflict, I would HIGHLY recommend watching Winter on Fire.

"It was one of the first things I ever watched on Netflix and it’s a fantastic piece of documentary filmmaking that is incredibly informative."

Echoing the praise, another wrote: "It’s a must watch for background on Ukraine and to gain an understanding of the fight within that country. Praying for everyone gearing up to resist now and all those that did before."

"If you’re unfamiliar with Ukraine and the struggle of the Ukrainian people to have democracy and independence for their country I strongly recommend Winter on Fire: Ukraine's Fight For Freedom on NETFLIX," put a third.

"An eye-opening look at the pro-Russian regime of Viktor Yanukovych, and the will of many Ukrainians to fight and die to end his corrupt regime."

The film, which was released in 2015, has also been commended by critics, receiving 88 percent on Rotten Tomatoes and 8.4/10 on IMDB.

One critic wrote: "Extremely accessible, but also often thrilling. If you were never entirely up to date on what was actually happening in Ukraine two years ago, Evgeny Afineevsky's film is an excellent starting point."

If you would like to donate to the Red Cross Emergency Appeal, which will help provide food, medicines and basic medical supplies, shelter and water to those in Ukraine, click here for more information.