Original subtitles

At ease!

Left!

You know, on the way we saw real storks through the window...

In his entire life, Pluzhnikov had never had so many pleasant surprises.

- how much has fallen in the last three weeks. - Lenochka,

Is this really Brest?

And you read over there, comrade Pluzhnikov.

If you can.

An order arrived to assign him, Nikolai Petrovich Pluzhnikov,

military rank of lieutenant.

He also got a short leave.

and visited Moscow. Well, be healthy, Lenochka.

- My mother. - And you too, Comrade Lieutenant.

And now

arrived at the place of further transition there!

passing of service, Thank you!

to the Brest Fortress.

Are you nuts? Hey!

- ..why are we taking it with us? - It's an expensive mirror.

I should have stayed in Warsaw.

My mother was taken to the ghetto. They grabbed her right on the street.

Well, you can't, with a goat, you understand? You can't!

She's not a pack of tea, not a mare. She's on a leash.

Grandpa, are you deaf or something?

We concentrate near the commandant's window.

To the fortress, then?

You'll end up right on Kashtanovaya.

So let our women and children sit on the floor,

And he's going to be the only one living it up at the table? Is that it?

You can't ask, you're a foreigner.

What a character!

Did you see it, Lieutenant?

Is this German?

A German, who else?

If it weren't for the order to not to give in to provocations,

I would wipe that grin off his face in a second!

Okay, let's get out of harm's way.

- What's your name? - Nikolay.

- Namesakes then. And you don't have a lot of smokes? - I don't smoke!

Just you wait!

I'm here now.

Beauties!

Join two young and very handsome commanders of the Red Army.

Thank you, but we are in a hurry today!

Look at that!

They said they didn't like you.

- What? - I'm just joking.

Listen, there's a Renaissance restaurant around here somewhere.

Maybe we should have a proper dinner, huh?

I can't. I have to arrive at the unit today.

Oh well, you'll have time, you've got plenty of time.

They say there is a world-class violinist there. "Black Eyes" plays like a God!

Kolya, let's go and decompose?

Ah?

How shall we travel? Shall we take a drozhki?

Ha, drozhki! I have a better idea.

Hey, hooligans!

- Come on, get down! - I'm sorry!

Thank you!

I ask the gentlemen officers to welcome you.

Why did he call us gentlemen officers?

That's how it's done here.

Follow me, please.

Please.

Thank you.

Girl! May I...

- Let's drink to our meeting. - Thank you, I don't drink.

You are so right...

Gentlemen officers, you can give me a lift.

- May I join you? - Oh! Do you drink vodka?

- Of course. - Sit down.

Let's get acquainted.

Sobolev Nikolay. Sumy anti-aircraft artillery!

- Igor Malyshev. - Pluzhnikov, too, Nikolai.

I arrived at the military registration and enlistment office to pick up the registration documents, but got stuck on the way.

We'll have to wait until Monday.

That the Germans will come to Warsaw,

it was clear to every person,

unless he's a complete idiot.

What's up there, Kolya?

There are rumours about the Germans.

Well, just rumours.

Border guards say that every night beyond the Bug the engines roar.

Tanks, tractors.

I'm so hungry, huh! Let's drink to our meeting.

And last week the archbishop crossed over from that side.

He says the Germans are preparing for war.

- But TASS officially stated... - Quiet, Kol, quiet.

TASS is in Moscow, and here is Brest.

No guys, something is definitely brewing.

- Well, here's the question. - Well, there will be an answer too.

For answering any question, Comrade Lieutenants!

You listened very well,

Comrade Russian Commander. Thank you.

Do you smoke?

Oh!

Fine!

Are you really aiming for the fortress?

I don't recommend it.

Dark and far away.

Come with me to the military registration and enlistment office. You'll spend the night there and leave in the morning.

I was supposed to arrive at the unit today.

Well, now it's completely dark.

Maybe sabotage?

Lieutenant, alone at night with a suitcase across the entire town, are you sure?

Sure.

- The main thing is to get it done before the morning. - The master is the lord.

- Down Kashtanovaya, Lieutenant! - Thank you!

Maybe we'll see each other some day!

And maybe then we'll have a drink, eh, Pluzhnikov?

Goodbye.

Brest was slowly sinking into the shortest night of the year.

And Kolya’s thoughts involuntarily returned to the conversation at the next table,

where they whispered about what was happening in the town.

About strange noises at night, about border violations by German pilots, about saboteurs.

Kolya really didn't like these rumours.

He believed that one should be wary of provocations.

And now...

...a suspicious carriage was following behind.

What if he was being followed?

They were specially selected from their trio of lieutenants.

Hello again, Comrade Russian Commander.

Are you going to the fortress? Sit down, we're on the same way.

- Thank you, I'll get there myself. - The suitcase is heavy and it's a long way to go.

If a person wants to walk, let him walk!

Well, let's go, uncle!

Get wet, sit down.

I'm almost there,

and my niece, Mirrochka, is just going to the fortress.

Darling, meet comrade red commander.

Lieutenant Pluzhnikov...

- But! Go! - ...Nikolai.

Hello.

Mirrochka has been working as a cook in the fortress for a year now.

In the commanders' dining room.

She has talent! Real talent.

She will be an amazing hostess.

Our Mirrochka.

By the way, where did you come from?

From Moscow.

You listened very well there in the hall. Thank you.

Goodbye, Comrade Russian Commander.

- Thanks for the ride. - Good luck, Comrade Lieutenant.

- Mirra, daughter, come see us tomorrow. - Good.

But!

Stop! Pass!

Right now... Just a second.

Down! Down, I'm shooting!

Shh-shh-shh!

Get down, I'm shooting!

- I... I'm one of us. - On the ground, quickly!

Yes, it's cold!

Here!

I am Lieutenant Pluzhnikov.

He's grabbing his holster, Comrade Sergeant.

I am Lieutenant Pluzhnikov!

Stand up!

I am one of them. One of them!

- Hand over the weapon. - I don't have a weapon! No!

They haven't given it out yet. Just arrived.

- Why are you grabbing the holster if it's yours? - "You're grabbing!"

I wanted to button it!

And he immediately said: stop, or I’ll shoot!

The traffic cop did everything correctly.

Here.

A week ago, a cemetery guard was stabbed to death.

This is how things are here.

- You need to go to the island, right? - Yes.

- Will you find the way? - I'll show you the way.

There is only one road to the fortress.

- Hi, Mirrochka. Are you taking over duty? - Yes sir.

Then bring the lieutenant.

Just clean it, otherwise the guys in the barracks will fall over laughing.

There is a lieutenant to clean up!

Quiet.

And there is no one.

So it's night. And now almost everyone has gone to camp.

How is the housing situation here? Do they provide for commanders, do you know?

Many people are filming.

Do you have a family?

No. Just for the service.

And what do they hear about the war in Moscow?

- What war? - Everyone here says that war will start soon.

- People are buying up salt and matches. - Do you know what it's called?

A provocative conversation, that's what it's called.

First of all, we have a non-aggression pact with Germany!

Secondly…

Non-aggression pact...

Kolya was very surprised when the girl took him somewhere into the basement.

He didn't even imagine how huge the dungeons were.

this fortress, still unfamiliar to him.

Don't be afraid!

I don't worry. Where are we going?

Take care of your head!

We clean you up.

Come in.

Is this a canteen?

This is a warehouse.

- Hello. - Hello, Aunt Khrystya.

Hello.

I'll wash your dirty uniform now.

Thank you.

Good health to you!

Hello, Stepan Matveich!

Ah-ah! The chirp has arrived.

I brought you a guest.

Which regiment, Comrade Commander?

I am Lieutenant Pluzhnikov, I just arrived, I am not on the lists.

Well, sit down at the table. Let's drink tea.

sit down.

- Take some bread. - No, no, thank you. I have to get to the regiment.

There will be time. The service will not run away from you.

Aunt Khristya, there is no water.

Ah?

And the lights in the town went out. Probably an accident.

It's possible. Fortunately, we have our own substation here.

She's already picked up a commander somewhere.

Aunt Christia.

Where are you from?

From Moscow.

From Moscow?

Listen.

Wow.

- So how is it? - What exactly?

Well, in general.

Yes, it's fine.

- I'm sleepy. - Sleep?

You'll sleep at your mum's.

Come on, finish your tea and let's go, there's a ton of things to do.

Is it a thunderstorm?

The ammunition depot exploded!

This is war, comrades, this is war!

Mother!

- Stop, Lieutenant! Where to? - I need to get to the regiment!

Quiet!

Germans!

- Are there many of them? - Quiet!

Kondakov was killed, we ran at first, and then he fell immediately.

I am Lieutenant Nikolai Pluzhnikov.

- Where were you running? - For ammunition.

Us with Kondakov.

They sent it to the ammunition depot.

And it killed him.

Do you know where this warehouse is?

So Kondakov knew.

He loved sweets and toffees.

But he was greedy - you can't beg for snow in winter.

Oh, Kondakov.

On my command, we run to our own.

Ready?

Ready.

O.K.

Stand!

Ours! Ours!

Don't shoot, they're our own!

Lie down!

Senior?

Where is the elder?

There!

Yes, he's dead!

They're running again!

Be careful, let's go to the dungeon!

- Take cover! - These are the guys from the 84th.

No! They are musicians!

Run to us!

- Come on! - Come here!

- Hey, where! - Jump, jump!

Take cover! Take cover!

Move!

It's the Germans!

Fire!

Be careful, guys!

Come on! Come on!

From above! From above!

Cartridges! Where are the cartridges?

Ask there, in the basement.

We need to fill the disks! We're running out of disks!

Near the club! There are Germans near the club!

Cover me, brothers!

We retreat to the barracks!

Hold on, darling, please hold on.

I understand it hurts. Hold on!

Where are the cartridges?

Out of ammunition! Just empty boxes!

Help!

What's up there? Will our guys be coming from the town soon?

They'll do. They should do. Here you go!

Fighter!

Soldier, do you know where the warehouse is? We need ammunition. Do you hear?

You may tear it with your teeth, but do it!

Ah! Ours!

Their!

Our people! Don't shoot.

Sons,

Five minutes to collect weapons. Everyone attack!

Whoever remains is a deserter!

- Is the task clear? - Exactly!

Those who don’t have rifles will arm themselves with shovels and stones.

What regiment are you from, Comrade Lieutenant?

I am not on the list.

- Here's a business trip. - Documents later, do you have a weapon?

- Here. Only there are no bullets. - Take charge of the windows.

on the left side of the church.

Ten men at the lieutenant's disposal. The rest follow me.

We'll come in from the right, go ahead.

Will you leave it a little, Comrade Sergeant?

Give me something to drink.

What's your name?

My last name is Prizhnyuk.

A grenade would be nice. Or better yet, two.

Everyone, arm yourself.

Whoever finds what. Just quickly.

Carry out the order!

Yes!

What are we waiting for?

Calm down.

Forward! For the Motherland!

Hooray-a-a!

Forward!

Move!

Forward!

Let's go, brothers!

Grisha, behind!

Get up, Lieutenant!

A-a-a!

Aaa!

A-a-a!

Soldiers! Carry away the wounded.

Are you alive, Comrade Lieutenant?

I cut his vein. I cut the vein like a heifer. Here, on the neck, there's a place like that.

- My gun... - We'll find it. And no one even touched me. I'm nimble.

Did you get enough?

- I see you do too. - Take a sip.

The soldiers took it off the dead German.

- Vodka... - Lieutenant, you will have to stay here.

The church is the key to the citadel's defence.

Collect weapons from the dead, I'll send a heavy machine gun.

And water.

Please send me some water.

I don't promise. There is no water in the fortress.

The Germans cut off the water supply.

Comrade soldier, collect all the flasks and personally hand them over to the lieutenant.

- There are flasks to collect. - Save water. The machine guns need water,

but you won't get to the shore.

And get dressed. It's not very comfortable to fight in shorts.

- Let's get dressed! - We'll take the wounded.

Give command, Lieutenant.

What is your last name?

Salnikov, I am! Salnikov Petr!

Yes, our entire village is Salnikovs!

You saved my life. I will report you to the command.

- How many people are left? - About ten are safe and sound.

There are two wounded.

Leave it.

Into the machine gun.

- Yes. - Come here.

When I die...

I will die...

They will bury me...

And no one will know

where is the grave m…

Remember my address, Lieutenant.

Gomel, Karl Marx street, one hundred and twelve, apartment nine. Denishchik Vladimir.

And I am from Smolensk!

From under Dukhovshchina.

And I'm from near Krasnoyarsk. The village "Goryachiy Klyuch"

- Our guys are a bit late. - Who?

- Army. Our army is here! - Maybe they'll break through at night.

Or at least by morning.

- If they don't come by morning, we have to leave. - The church is a mousetrap.

There are few of us. They will surround us and we won’t be able to fight back.

There was no order to leave.

- Is that clear? - Yes sir.

Some water, Comrade Lieutenant.

Let me try to break through to the Bug. Or to the Mukhavets.

Water is needed.

Take the flasks.

Pour out the vodka.

Yes!

Thus ended the first day of his war,

and he did not know and could not know how many of them would be ahead.

And the soldiers, sleeping side by side and standing guard at the entrance,

They also did not know and could not know how many days were allotted to each of them.

They lived one life, but each had his own death.

Air alert!

The Germans are climbing out of the basement!

Let's run! Let's run!

Air alert! Air alert!

So the Germans took over the club?

They were probably hiding in the basements there.

Why didn't you inspect the basements yesterday?

Guilty.

No, Lieutenant. It's not just guilt, it's a crime.

I have to shoot you right now, but I'm low on bullets.

I will atone.

German command proposes to stop

senseless resistance. The fortress is surrounded.

The Red Army is defeated!

Valiant German soldiers storm Minsk.

Your senseless resistance has lost all tactical meaning.

We give you an hour to think about it.

If you refuse, you will be destroyed!

The fortress has been swept off the face of the earth!

Vit.

- Let's get some water. - Yes.

Allow me, Comrade Commander. I will bring water.

- As long as it takes. - Stop, lieutenant.

In an hour the Germans will start shelling. Break into the club and drive them out.

At any cost!

Execute.

- Sergeant! - Me!

- Boxes here. - Yes!

Soldiers, follow me.

- Where is Denischik? Have you seen him? - I don't know. He must have stayed at the club...

There are two minutes left to think!

So we attack in a minute! No shooting.

Quietly and suddenly.

This is our main weapon now.

Forward.

Come on, come on!

- Ah! - Denischev, he's alive!

Come on, Lieutenant!

Forward!

- For the Motherland! - Hooray!

On the attack!

Lieutenant, watch out!

- Volodya! - Volodya!

Volodya!

- Doctor! - Be patient!

- It hurts! - What should I do?

Well, let it go.

- Unfasten your belt. - Volodya!

Be patient, my dear, be patient, be patient!

Lift it up.

Lift it up!

- Put him on his side! Be patient, my dear, be patient.

- Yes, it hurts! - On the side!

Hold on! Hold on, Volodya!

Press! Press!

- Be patient, be patient. - Everything will be fine.

He clearly remembered only the first three days of the defence,

and then the days and nights merged into a single chain of sorties,

bombings, attacks, shelling, wandering through dungeons

Fierce battles with the enemy and short, fainting moments of oblivion.

And a constant, debilitating desire to drink that does not go away even in sleep.

And himself?

And I already have.

- Give me something to drink! - I'll bring it tonight.

Don't lift your head now.

Don't curse me for a sip, boys.

It was just a sip, nothing to share.

What's up there?

We're holding on. We've run out of ammunition.

And this morning our hawks flew in.

Nine pieces!

They circled us three times! That means they know about us!

They know!

Hold on for your own, brother, survive!

Tell them, the guys were dying...

I am not ashamed...

Kolya.

You... You get me out of here. I... I want to see the sun.

They bomb there all the time.

You... You owe me, Kolya. Those bullets were aimed at you, Lieutenant.

Into you. Yours is lead.

I will get there. I feel like I will get there.

- Is Salnikov alive? - Alive.

He's lucky. And he still goes for water?

Everything is walking.

Now... Carefully. Now... like this...

We are all ordered to leave. In small groups into the woods.

Go with Salnikov.

I'll bring you your coat now.

No need!

You get out of here, Kolya.

And don't come here again!

Comrade Lieutenant, we only have three disks left.

What bastards the Germans are: now they go on the attack without flasks.

Listen to my command! Everyone take your positions!

Yes.

- Salnikov! - Me!

Salnikov, do you remember that first day?

It seems like you were running for some ammunition. Some kind of warehouse.

So Kondakov knew that warehouse.

Shall we go look?

- In the sun? - We won't find it at night.

To the devil in the teeth, to the wolf in the jaws? Like Denischik?

Some water would be nice.

- Where to? - There, I think.

Forward.

Run, Lieutenant.

Run, Lieutenant! Run!

This!

Dance!

Ah!

Ah!

Drink, son, drink.

- Where am I? - Don't you recognise me, Comrade Lieutenant?

We arrived at the fortress together. In a taxi. You fell down at the check-point.

I'm Mirra, remember?

You ran out then, as the bombing started. But we didn't make it in time.

The passage was blocked. We've been sitting here ever since.

Sit down...

Clean...

well-fed, whole.

Your brothers are there.

Your comrades are lying dead.

I'll shoot you!

I will shoot you!

For cowardice. For betrayal! In the name of...

And you are not our bastard!

We didn't end up here by our own free will.

Calm down.

Son, calm down.

Take a rest, son.

Take a rest.

I need some ammunition...

Let's go, Comrade Lieutenant.

I'll show you something.

Disks, zinc, automatic...

Drag everything to the hole in the ceiling.

When it gets dark, we'll take it to the club.

And one more thing. Machine guns need water.

There is water. We dug a well.

We have everything ready, Comrade Lieutenant.

So that's it.

We're heading towards the club now.

There we will join up with the boys and together we will break out of the fortress.

And we?

You...

Tomorrow afternoon you will come up with white rags and surrender.

Captured? Look at what you came up with. Captured!

Stop making things up, Comrade Lieutenant. Stop...

There was an order from the command.

All women and children must leave the fortress.

And Mirra?

Have you thought about her? Who needs her in captivity? With a dry leg on a piece of wood.

The girl is also a Jew, and also a cripple.

They'll definitely squash her.

Don't you dare say that!

This is their word! This is their fascist word!

The word, of course, is not good, but the word is not the point.

- Fedorchuk is right, she can't be taken prisoner. - Okay, you'll stay.

You will leave when they withdraw their troops from the fortress.

Or when ours return.

Let's sit down for a while.

Quiet. Come on!

Here. Throw...

Let go! Let go!

With amazing clarity he now saw all those who had died because of him.

Volodka Denishchik, who covered him with his chest in battle.

Salnikov, who saved him from death three times.

Those to whom he promised cartridges did not bring them on time.

He was still alive only because someone died for him.

This is the law of war.

Lieutenant, you should eat something.

- Third day of hunger, listen. - You're trying in vain.

Our lieutenant has set off.

The sergeant must decide what to do next.

It's decided already. We'll wait.

Shall we wait?

What shall we wait for? Death?

Winter? Germans? What are we waiting for, I ask?

We'll wait for the Red Army.

There it is, your Red Army. It lies unconscious. That's all!

Defeat her.

- Do you understand? Defeat, fool! - Shh-sh.

Okay, that's enough for today. Let's go to bed.

Kolya!

No need, Kolya. No need.

No need, Kol. No need.

Quiet! Myrrh!

And shoot me, Kol.

I'll die without you, Kol.

You are the Red Army. My Red Army!

You can't leave me, Kolya.

Quiet, quiet, quiet. It hurts...

- Report. - Report what?

Where are ours? Where is the enemy?

We know where ours are. Below. The Germans are above, and ours are below.

- And specifically? - Unknown.

Why?

- We didn't conduct any reconnaissance. - What reconnaissance, where?

How many of ours are left there? There are Germans all around.

We've blocked the exit.

Who pawned it?

I ask, who blocked the exit?

- So I pawned it, so what? - I don't understand.

- What don't you understand, Lieutenant? - I don't understand again.

Senior Sergeant Fedorchuk.

In an hour, report to me that the way up is clear.

Do you understand me, Comrade Senior Sergeant?

Carry out the order!

This is the Terespol Gate, this is the 333rd rifle regiment, this is the club.

- What do you want? - Comrade Fedorchuk has disappeared.

I have no weapons! I'm going to surrender!

I give up!

Germans!

Don't shoot!

I'm not armed! Nicht schissen!

I don't have a weapon!

- A rifle. - Why?

The rifle, quickly!

She goes with little white scarves!

- He probably stole it from Aunt Christie. - Comrade Lieutenant!

Don't shoot!

Run!

Volkov!

Volkov!

Volkov! Volkov!

The fortress was still alive, still snapping back with rare bursts of gunfire.

somewhere near the outer ramparts. It was not possible to establish contact with any of the defenders.

The survivors retreated to the deep dungeons. But Pluzhnikov did not lose hope.

Lieutenant, they are issuing orders.

- Awards on the battlefield. - For the church, probably.

Bastards.

Lieutenant!

All!

- Ow! - Sergeant!

Knife!

Knife... knife...

It's nothing. I can feel the meat. The bone is intact.

- Mirra, bring it... - Then the hole will heal.

Why are you looking at me like that, Stepan Matveich?

Well, I'm wondering where that lieutenant went,

who I saw just three weeks ago.

And that lieutenant is no more. He was killed in the first battle.

Every morning, at the same time

The Germans entered the fortress through the Terespol Gate

and in the evening they all left just as carefully, leaving behind reinforced guards.

They were no longer eager to attack.

Something had changed in them. But what? Pluzhnikov couldn't figure it out.

It was necessary to know everything about the enemy.

What was needed was not assumptions or speculation, but answers.

Come! Come on!

Who!

- What is he saying? - Mirra, translate.

- He says he is not a soldier. - How is that not a soldier?

What is he doing in the fortress?

He is from the guard service, mobilised in April.

He... He says there are real soldiers in the fortress.

Sappers, machine gunners, flamethrowers.

They are called when Russians are discovered.

He is a guard, he has never shot at anyone.

- What should we do with him? - We can't let him go.

He knows the way to us.

Com! Come on, go! Go!

Kinder! Kinder!

You remember your children. But what about our children?

Mirra! What are you doing?

- Stop it immediately! - Can I help you, Aunt Khristya?

- Give it back, I say. - No.

Quiet! Shh-sh.

Aunt Christia!

Get some sleep.

- What are you going to blow up, Stepan Matveich? - Sit down.

Here's the thing...

I have an infection, Nikolai.

So while I still have strength, I want to get to the top. If I'm going to die, I'll do it with music.

- Stepan Matveich... - That's it, Lieutenant!

Now my orders are more important. And here is my last order to you.

Save the girl. And stay safe yourself. Survive, in spite of them, survive!

For all of us.

Now go.

Then we'll negotiate.

Get some rest, Lieutenant, and you can help me in the morning.

Pluzhnikov understood,

that in Stepan Matveyevich’s head everything had already been decided.

It was decided consciously, without doubts or hesitation.

But he was still going to stop the Elder.

That night Pluzhnikov tried not to fall asleep.

At all costs. Don't sleep.

- Kolya! Kolya, what happened? - The sergeant left.

Sorry.

Have you ever seen storks?

- Yes. - I didn't see it.

- They say they are white-white. - But you saw Moscow.

Happy.

- And you will see. - I will see Moscow?

- You must be joking? - You'll see as soon as the war is over.

I invite you to visit. Will you come?

I'll come.

Can you show me Red Square?

And Red Square, and the Kremlin, and the mausoleum.

And the metro. Do you know what the metro is?

Metro. Well, it's... It's a... It's a railway station,

only underground. And there are no steam locomotives there, but electric trains, can you imagine!

There is also an escalator there.

- Do you know what an escalator is? - No.

It’s… It’s a self-propelled ladder, you know?

You enter the metro, you need to go down to the station.

You need to step on the escalator and it will take you there itself.

And then we'll introduce you to the best doctor in the world.

To a professor, such an old man, an old man with a beard.

And he will cure you.

And when he cures you, we'll go dancing.

To the Gorky Park of Culture.

And waltz! One-two-three, one-two-three...

one-two-three, one-two-three.

- Do you want to go to Gorky Park? - I don’t want to.

Why?

Because the war will end and you will immediately forget about me.

Who needs a small, miserable, lame girl, especially one who is Jewish?

- Mirra. - I myself!

Drag the bodies into the craters!

Why are you frozen?

Drag the bodies into the craters!

Pryzhnyuk.

My last name is Prizhnyuk... And I am from Smolensk...

And I'm from near Krasnoyarsk... Denischik... I'm Salnikov

Stop!

Mirra, don't be afraid. It's us.

Greet the guests.

Not rich?

Tolya Nebogatov!

- Alive! - Dead, Mirra.

Smoked, dried and cured.

Hello. Sit down, I'm going to feed you now.

What are your plans, Lieutenant?

Our plans are to break into Belovezhskaya Pushcha.

They would have left long ago, but there are no bullets.

We have ammunition, guys. So we'll roar together.

Will she come with us?

Certainly.

She's lame.

So what? I was going to take her to the first houses.

You'll get her to the first bullet, Lieutenant. Where there are houses, there are Germans.

Let her choose for herself.

Borrow it yourself, Lieutenant.

You won't get to these houses. You won't get there at all, do you understand?

There is a field beyond the outer perimeter. You have to crawl on your belly for about two kilometres.

Can she crawl?

- With a lame leg. - We filmed and tried.

Patrols everywhere, security everywhere. Both at night and during the day.

The Fortress is still kept in chains.

- They are still catching our brothers... - Shut up!

- Are you giving orders? - I'm not giving orders, I'm giving orders.

As the senior in rank, I give the order.

Conduct reconnaissance. Find a way to get into the town.

And then we'll think about our own skin.

What the hell do you need this cripple for, Lieutenant?

If she were a decent girl, I would understand.

And this one...

Hands on the table!

Hands on the table, now!

And now slowly towards the exit.

I don't understand who you are. A fool or a shell-shocked person?

I said get out!

Give me some ammunition, Lieutenant. And we'll leave the fortress today.

Give them. Give them, or we'll die without them!

Thank you.

But you're still a fool, Lieutenant.

Kolya

Come in.

I gave them some ammunition. They want to escape from the Fortress tonight.

The Germans are up to something.

It's dangerous to stay.

Tomorrow I will scout the road and take you to the town.

- And you? - I'll come back myself.

You will be killed!

Maybe. But you're leaving, and that's not up for discussion.

I'm staying.

You can't stay, you know it.

- I can, I absolutely can! - Mirra!

Shh-sh.

I never in my life dared to dream that I could love.

You'll say that I'm a complete fool, not scared, and that I found time to fall in love.

Is it our fault that time...

No one has ever kissed me.

lyrical music

- Aren't you cold? - No.

Stepan Matveich told me that you froze.

What do you mean "frozen"?

He said that men freeze in war.

And only a woman can warm a man.

And I didn’t know that I was a woman and could also warm someone up.

Have I warmed you up, at least a little?

I'm afraid of m-m-melting.

What are you laughing at?

No. No, really.

I'm afraid to melt next to you.

- What time is it? - It's still very early.

Sleep, and I'll sing you a lullaby.

He didn't shoot.

Realizing that the firing range would not be enough.

With this senseless shot he will only give himself away.

Pluzhnikov did not know that he was now seeing a reduced distance

the tiny figure of the one whose personal order brought down the 22nd of June at 4 o'clock

15 minutes local time, the first salvo on this very fortress.

I didn't know that I saw in front of me the Führer of Germany, Adolf Hitler.

and the Duci of the Italian fascists Benito Mussolini.

And if I had known, I would have shot no matter what.

Don't stretch, walk tightly.

Well, let's not lag behind!

Stop! Okay, women!

The first four rows are on this pile. Let's go!

The next three rows are on that pile.

The rest were distributed to the right and left.

Everyone, let's go!

- Let's work, women! - Faster! Faster!

Hurry up, women, hurry up!

- What's wrong? - Our people are there.

What are we standing there for? Run!

Come here!

- What? - Look what's there.

To him.

So, why are you standing there?

Why aren't we working? Get up!

Get up!

Get to work, quickly!

The Germans are probably bringing these women from the town.

They are definitely not prisoners. I heard their conversations.

And their food is home-made. You don't seem happy.

- Here, take mine. - No, what are you saying, thank you. Eat it yourself.

I can see that you are constantly nauseous. Go ahead and take it.

How stupid you are.

Mirra... What's wrong with you?

We have to break up.

What? Break up?

How to break up? Why? What for?

My dear. My husband. My only one.

Are you sick? Are you not scared?

We'll have a small one.

You see, I'm a normal woman.

This is probably happiness. Even, probably, this is great happiness.

The little one must be born, Kolenka, he must.

And here... Every minute I feel how his strength is waning.

Don't stretch!

Everything will be fine... And the pawns will become queens!

And there will be noise and hubbub, and there will be dreams about money.

And it will rain on Thursdays.

Get up!

I have to get out and raise our son.

I will definitely find you after the war, do you hear?

The rest of you, to the right! That's it. Let's go, let's work!

Stand up!

Sabbath, women! That's all for today!

We've sorted it out in threes! Lively, women, lively!

Get up, get up, come on, come on!

Lively, lively, women!

Hurry up, be quick!

Well! Well, what's all this hustle and bustle there!

Sort out your threes!

Where did you come from?

- What do you mean, from where? I'm from the town. - What town?

Let's go. Can't we find out on the go?

All day in the cold.

- It's not a loss, but a profit. - Profit?

Where did this profit come from?

It smells like a basement!

- Mr. Senior Corporal! - Calm down!

Disperse in threes! Silence!

Mr. Senior Corporal!

Here!

Looks like it's coming from the basement! Bunker!

Nothing to see here!

Quick march! Faster, faster!

Faster, women, forward!

Pluzhnikov was still trying to spot his Mirra in the departing column,

unaware that fate had just saved him from the most terrible sight

in his life.

Guess what I'm eating now.

Apple.

No. I eat my mother's gefilte fish.

This is a pickled cucumber.

What are you eating?

I'm eating an eclair cake.

I just bought it at the Eliseevsky store in Moscow on Gorky Street.

Can I have a bite of your cake?

I'm swapping an eclair for a pickled cucumber.

Myrrh.. Myrrh..

Finished work! Form a column of three!

Grigorich! Move, women, move! Grisha! Are you frozen or something?

Pluzhnikov was betrayed by the snow! The Germans found his shelter by the tracks in the snow.

They found it and blew it up, but he didn’t even hear the explosion.

And all he had left was eight bullets in his pocket,

a pea coat on the shoulders, and two crackers in this pea coat.

And he still had a fierce desire to survive,

dead Fortress and hatred…

Don't shoot!

Please don't shoot!

I was sent to tell you to come out.

Come here.

- Who are you? - I'm a simple Jew.

Who speaks Russian quite well.

They trapped me.

I started to have bad vision and they trapped me.

They will burn you and shoot me. There are many of them there.

But I still don't have any more bullets.

Where are ours?

There are good rumours that the Germans were defeated near Moscow.

- They smashed it very badly. - And Moscow is ours?

- The Germans didn't take Moscow? - No, no, what are you saying!

I know for sure. For sure! They were smashed! And smashed very badly!

Now I can go out.

Go.

Please state your rank and last name.

Mr. General urgently asks you to state your rank and last name.

My last name and rank...

Russian soldier.

And also translate to him that I did not surrender the fortress.

The fortress did not fall: it simply bled to death.

And I...

I am her last straw.

He walked slowly, swaying.

He walked through the ranks of enemies, who were now giving him the highest military honours.

But he didn't see them, and even if he had, he wouldn't have cared.

He was above honours. Above glory. Above life and above death.