With “ZIB WISSEN” on February 19th on ORF 2, “United for Ukraine” concert on February 23rd on ORF 1 and ORF III focus on February 24th
Vienna (OTS) – On February 24th it was exactly two years ago that the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine began – and continues to this day. The ORF has continuously reported on this war and its consequences for two years and is now devoting a comprehensive focus to the topic. Among other things with a “ZIB WISSEN”, which will be taking place under this name for the first time on the ORF 2 main evening on February 19th and will look at, among other things, how those who fled from Ukraine are doing in Austria today. “Studio 2” (all week from February 19th), “kulturMontag” (February 19th) and “WELTjournal” and “WELTjournal +” (February 21st) are also focused on the war in Ukraine. ORF 1 will show “United for Ukraine – The solidarity concert from the Wiener Stadthalle” on February 23rd at 10:50 p.m. ORF III will be broadcasting five “zeit.geschichte” documentaries on February 24th at 8:15 p.m. that deal with Ukraine and Russia. Ö1 and the ORF.at network are also dedicating themselves intensively to this focus.
From Monday, February 19th, 5:30 p.m., ORF 2
„Studio 2“
In the week ending February 23rd, “Studio 2” is dedicated to the topic of two years of war in Ukraine. On February 19th, ORF journalist Fritz Dittlbacher, who sheds light on the background to the war, will be a guest, and on February 21st, Irina Schwabegger-Wager, the founder of the Pharmacists Without Borders association, will be a guest. On February 22nd, Colonel d. General Staff Service Markus Reisner will present the current situation from a military perspective and on February 23, Oksana Stavrou, who fled Ukraine, will be a guest and tell us how she is doing after two years in Austria.
Monday, February 19th, 8:15 p.m., ORF 2
“ZIB KNOW – Ukraine”
Back then, under the title “ZIB Special”, ORF 2 dealt with the Middle East conflict and its historical roots in the main evening on November 20th – with an average of 704,000 viewers and a 23 percent market share (26 and 15 percent in the young Target groups 12-49 and 12-29 years old) a great success with the public. For the first time under the title “ZIB WISSEN” it is about the war in Ukraine. Further focal points, for example in the context of the EU elections, are already being planned. “ZIB WISSEN” serves as a time window into the past in order to better understand the connections to the present and to be able to focus on the future.
The Russian war of aggression on Ukraine is also a war about history. The aggressor Vladimir Putin justifies the attack based on history and denies Ukraine statehood. The show looks at what’s behind the propaganda, how closely Ukrainian history is tied to Austria, and how much the country was dominated by Russia and the Soviet Union. There are also connections to correspondents in Kiev, Moscow, Washington and Brussels. The question is also examined as to why Austria was always a little closer to Russia than other European states. On the occasion of the second anniversary of the Russian attack, “ZIB WISSEN” also sheds light on the lives of Ukrainian refugees in Austria and shows a report by Christian Wehrschütz from Ukraine. Nadja Bernhard and Tarek Leitner host the show.
Monday, February 19th, 11:15 p.m., ORF 2
“kulturMontag: Culture War – Art as a Weapon”
Ukraine surprised the world with its enormous will to resist the Russian war of aggression. Art and culture are particularly important. Because the war is also waged as a war of narratives and information. Both Ukrainian national sentiment and art have grown stronger the longer the war lasts. In the German-Ukrainian documentary “Culture War – Art as a Weapon,” director Philipp Kohlhöfer accompanies Ukrainian artists from the concert hall to the front, from the bunker to the studio, and paints an impressive picture of their struggles for their culture and their survival as a state. The film features, among others, the band BoomBox around singer Andriy Khlyvnyuk and Antytila with frontman Taras Topolia. First Lady Olena Zelenska also speaks about the role of Ukrainian culture in this war.
Wednesday, February 21st, 10:30 p.m., ORF 2
“WELTjournal: Ukraine – Search for Nika”
Two years after the start of the Russian war of aggression, the situation in Ukraine remains devastating, and there is no end to the fighting in sight. The “WELTjournal” shows the touching story of the Ukrainian filmmaker Stas Kapralov, who sheds light on a rarely noticed aspect of the war: the fate of the countless domestic and zoo animals that were lost in the chaos of war. Kapralov’s own dog Nika has disappeared since an air raid on Kiev. While searching for his dog, the filmmaker meets people who risk their lives to help abandoned animals in the middle of war. For example, in Europe’s largest animal shelter in Fedorivka, on an ostrich farm, in horse stables or in the Kiev Zoo, from which the lion Ruru is brought to safety in an adventurous transport to Poland. A film about saving animals that shows humanity and compassion in war.
Wednesday, February 21st, 11:25 p.m., ORF 2
“WELTjournal+: Russian oligarchs – at the mercy of Putin”
Since the Ukraine war and the far-reaching sanctions, Russia’s oligarchs have been in trouble. The EU has frozen almost 30 billion euros of its assets in the hope that the oligarchs will put pressure on President Putin to end the war. But it is unclear how great the oligarchs’ influence over Putin actually is. “WELTjournal+” shows how Russian oligarchs are trying to keep their assets, luxury residences and mega yachts safe from EU sanctions. The oligarchs are seen as vassals in Putin’s power system: Unlimited loyalty is rewarded, but anyone who questions the system or even deviates from it faces death. Around 15 oligarchs have already died in suspicious ways.
Friday, February 23rd, 10:50 p.m., ORF1
“United for Ukraine – The solidarity concert from the Wiener Stadthalle”
On the occasion of the second anniversary of the war in Ukraine, Austrian and Ukrainian pop acts will play a concert for NACHBAR IN NOT in the Wiener Stadthalle on February 21, 2024. In the spirit of solidarity, Thorsteinn Einarsson, King & Potter, Ina Regen, Alleehrung and Anna-Sophie will perform from Austria, as well as Jamala, Zlata Ognevich and Tina Karol from Ukraine. Austria and Ukraine also share the moderation in the form of Lukas Schweighofer and Darya Tregubova. ORF 1 shows the highlights of this special concert evening.
Five-part ORF III theme evening on Saturday, February 24th, from 8:15 p.m
With five “zeit.geschichte” programs, an ORF III themed evening is dedicated to the tragic occasion: First, ORF correspondent Christian Wehrschütz sheds light on the new production “Bye, bye Russia – Ukraine’s rocky march to the EU” (8:15 p.m.). Development of Ukraine, which the country has gone through since declaring its independence 33 years ago between Russian striving for hegemony and long-standing Western indifference. Afterwards, historians and contemporary witnesses talk about the history of Ukraine, the roots of its creation and its difficult relationship with Russia in the documentary “Ukraine – History in the Shadow of Russia” (9:05 p.m.). The ORF III production “The Crimea – History of a Contested Peninsula” (9:55 p.m.) then focuses on the path of the Crimean peninsula from the homeland of the Tatars to its takeover by Russia. The two-part documentary “Three thorns in Russian flesh – Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia” (10:45 p.m., 11:35 p.m.) concludes the ORF III focus evening and shows the development of these three Baltic ones using archive recordings, self-filmed material and conversations with experts Countries that have once again become the focus of world politics due to the war of aggression against Ukraine.
Ukraine focus in the ORF radios
From Monday, February 19th, reports from Ukraine correspondent Daniela Prugger can be heard in the Ö1 “Journalen”. The “Europajournal” (February 23, 6:25 p.m.) with Markus Müller comes from Latvia and “Guest in the Journal” (February 24) is dedicated to two years of the Ukraine war.
In the “Ö1 Jazz Night” (10:40 p.m.) on Saturday, February 24th, a concert recording from the ORF RadioKulturhaus can be heard. The guitarist Martin Philadelphy, who comes from Tyrol, presented his current album “Woina” there – a setting of the poem of the same name by the author Thomas Nyx. “Woina,” the Russian word for war, is the inspiration for eleven meaningful scenes that sonically depict the far-reaching consequences of the devastating war currently taking place on European soil. In dealing with the topic, Martin Philadelphy has designed an impressive piece of program music for guitar and voice.
On Wednesday, February 28th, Evamaria Salcher will read in “Sound Art:
Poetry today” (11:03 p.m.) Poems from Anja Utler’s work “It begins”. The poet, translator and essayist used Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine as an opportunity for a “chorus of mourning”. In her short poems she shows how everyday life has changed as a result of the war, and what language we can still find in the face of the loss of “living beings, of habitability and justice”. Her first line turns it into a ritual: “The day begins.” The poems are contrasted and expanded by an essay in which Utler advocates exploring and integrating feelings, because these provide information “about relationships in the world”. Utler was born in Germany in 1973, lives in Vienna and was most recently awarded the Ernst Jandl Prize for poetry.
Reporting in the ORF.at network and in ORF TELETEXT
The Ukraine war has been the focus of reporting in ORF.at for two years: As part of its online overview reporting since Russia’s attack, the ORF has provided information about the war itself as well as its political, economic and humanitarian consequences. On the occasion of the start of the war two years ago, ORF.at’s daily reporting is dedicated to the development of the war in Ukraine, but the focus is also on the precarious humanitarian situation in the country. ORF.at also sheds light on international political developments and debates and the geopolitical implications of the war. Since the beginning of the war, ORF has also been providing comprehensive streams of ORF TV reporting on an ongoing basis. The programs and contributions of the current TV focus are made available as a live stream via ORF-TVthek and as part of a video-on-demand focus on ORF ON and in the ORF-TVthek app (if the corresponding online license rights are available are). The ORF TELETEXT also reminds in detail of the outbreak of war, its causes and consequences – in addition to its daily reporting that has been running for two years (separate section in the International Politics section).
ORF has been supporting NACHBAR IN NOT since the start of the relief campaign in all of its media – television, radio, ORF.at, TELETEXT as well as in all nine state studios – and is drawing attention to the fundraising campaign.