MINISTRY OF CULTURE OF THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION,
THE RUSSIAN CINEMA FUND, RUSSIAN MILITARY HISTORICAL SOCIETY
VOENFILM studio
Vadim Zadorozhny, Andrei Kozitsyn, Igor Ugolnikov
Podolsk Cadets charity fund, Ilyinsky Line non-profit association,
The Ministry of Culture of Moscow Region, Kaluga Region Governor Administration,
Sozidanie nonprofit organization, Transmashholding, Transneft
Vadim Zadorozhny's Vehicle Museum, UMMC's Museum of Military Vehicles,
Padikovo Museum of Russian military history, Military Hangar Museum,
Motors of War Museum, Trophy Vehicles Project
Provided by explosiveskull https://twitter.com/kaboomskull
BASED ON REAL EVENTS
IN EARLY OCTOBER 1941,
NAZI FORCES ADVANCED TO WITHIN 200 KM OF MOSCOW
Come on, faster!
- Spread the outriggers! - Ready your weapons!
I have a target!
Reference two, enemy tank!
- Move it, move it! - Armor-piercing!
Where is it?
- Hurry up! - Armor-piercing, here!
Armor-piercing loaded!
Ready!
- Fire! - Firing!
- Load! - Left, twenty!
Tkachenko's hit!
Ready!
- Fire! - Firing!
Am I dead or wounded? If I'm wounded, carry me gently.
If I'm dead, better just leave me where I am.
PODOLSK. TRAINING GROUNDS OF ARTILLERY AND INFANTRY SCHOOLS
Not bad. Straight down the barrel. Who's the gun layer?
- Cadet Lavrov, Comrade Colonel. - Lavrov... Very good. Cut the water!
Cut the water!
- Fold the hoses! - Fold the hoses, affirmative!
- Bring on the third target. - Yes, sir.
Ready!
- Fire! - Firing!
Lavrov, you say?
What are you doing? You want to get us grounded again?
- Well, Lavrov did it again. - Yes. Better than everyone, again.
I thought you used to say Dmitry Shemyakin was best.
No wonder he's been so sulky lately.
What are you talking about? I can't hear you.
Cadet Tkachenko, of course you can't hear us. You're shell-shocked!
Replenish ammunition and get ready for the next exercise.
Yes, sir.
Fall in! Attention! Eyes right!
As you were. Who's the layer on gun number one?
- I am, Comrade Colonel! - Answer properly.
- Junior Sergeant Lavrov. - What am I to make of this, Lavrov?
Forgive me, Comrade Colonel, make of what?
Three shots, three hits, all within the allotted time,
but we accidentally destroyed the linkage on the last target.
Accidentally? So be it. How many targets were destroyed?
- Three, Comrade Colon... - Two! You destroyed two targets, cadet.
And that means the third tank blew your gun to smithereens
and you're all dead now! And it ran you over and carried on to Moscow!
In my book that's bad. Very bad!
- I don't understand... - Who can explain?
Sergeant Shemyakin.
The third shot hit the upper part of the tank's turret,
where the armor is at a low angle to the shell's trajectory.
The shell ricochets off and the target is not destroyed.
Three months from now you will all go to the front line.
You will be giving orders to men older than you.
Your performance will affect the outcome of our war against the Nazis.
Childhood is over, boys.
Now every mistake you make could lead to dozens of deaths.
Remember that!
Please.
- Grub's up, everyone! - Thanks.
Now do you understand that combat is not a circus or a funfair shooting gallery?
And there are no girls to impress.
But there are.
Alex, stay away from Masha. She's a good girl and not some kind of...
Some kind of what?
You mean, she's good and proper like you are, but too good for me?
- That's not what I wanted to say. - Then what?
So, because I grew up in an orphanage, I should "stay away" from good girls?
Our glorious infantry is returning! Greetings, field marshals!
Did you get to shoot your rifles?
We sure did. Got to do an assault drill and some hand-to-hand combat.
- Are you still not allowed to fight? - Can't hear you for all the dust!
Are you still hiding behind your metal toys? Some war gods you are!
Did they expel you all from school or did they just abandon you here?
- We'll show you yet! - No talking in ranks!
Let's make a pact - neither you nor I make any moves.
If she chooses either one of us, so be it.
- Where I come from we fight over girls. - But we aren't going to, are we?
Do we have a deal?
Deal.
PODOLSK ARTILLERY SCHOOL
- Sorry, Comrade Doctor, I fell asleep. - That's fine, it happens.
Is everything alright?
I thought I heard footsteps in here.
Masha, you really should get some proper sleep.
Put your textbooks away.
But I need to study, to memorize all these Latin names.
Who gave you those flowers?
I don't even know.
Oh girls. I feel so sorry for you.
You fall in love and the next thing you know, he's off to the front line.
They're flying toward Moscow again. How much bombing can it stand...
A draft?
Check the windows and go to sleep.
Lavrov?
What are you thinking? You... How dare you do this, Lavrov?
It wasn't me... It was these flasks...
I thought we had a deal.
Yes we did.
And you broke it.
Dmitry...
- I'm sorry, I didn't mean to. - Didn't mean to?
That simple? You "didn't mean to" but you did anyway?
Dmitry...
I know I'm guilty, but I couldn't help it. Forgive me. As a friend.
- Forgive you and that's that? - And that's that.
What are you smiling about?
Can you imagine... She kissed me! Of her own accord!
You shameless bastard.
Hey, stop it! Get back to your bunks!
What's the meaning of this?
Comrade Battery Commander...
Right...
Looking good.
What happened?
I see.
Then I'll tell you what happened.
In his sleep, Dmitry Shemyakin rolled over, fell from his bunk,
and busted his lip on his bedside table.
As for Lavrov, he smacked his brow against the bed post while helping his friend get up.
If that's not what happened, you can't continue your training tomorrow.
- Is that clear? - Yes, sir.
In that case, clean up and go back to your bunks!
Comrade Lieutenant, that's not what happened.
Junior Sergeant Lavrov and I had a fight.
And according to the Regulations we must be disciplined.
Silence!
Well, in that case...
- Five days' arrest, both of you. - Yes, sir.
That's not all.
Junior Sergeant Lavrov,
I'm afraid that your misconduct, including yesterday's at the training grounds,
could cumulatively lead to your expulsion.
WARSAW HIGHWAY
Confirmed. I see a convoy of enemy armored vehicles
moving along the Warsaw Highway outside of Yukhnov.
I can't tell how many. Too many to count.
"MOSCOW 190 KM"
Two days ago, after fierce fighting, the enemy breached two of our front lines.
They immediately sent in several large mechanized units.
Today they captured Yukhnov.
At present, we have no forces in place to stop them reaching Moscow.
We received orders to urgently deploy the Podolsk military schools.
They are the only resource in the area. We must deploy everything we can
to hold back the enemy until High Command sends in reserves. That's five to six days.
But Comrade Lieutenant General, they're future Red Army commanders!
In a month or two they'll finish their training and go on to defend...
Colonel Strelbitsky, who and what are they going to defend in a month or two
if the Germans take Moscow tomorrow?
Trust me, Colonel, it was a very tough decision, but we had no choice.
Your orders are to move out to the Ilyinsky Frontier immediately.
Yes, Comrade Lieutenant General.
The combined detachment will be
under command of Head of the Infantry School Major General Smirnov.
He will meet you on the frontier.
You'll be his second in command.
The task is to set up defenses in the village of Ilyinskoye.
Here's the highway, the river, and the bridge.
We're building 20 artillery pillboxes and 20 machine gun pillboxes.
The Nazis have up to 300 tanks. Only artillery can stop them.
Comrade Lieutenant General,
all of our combat-ready weapons have been sent to the front line.
We have no more than 30 left, of which only 12 are reliable
and the rest will only fire five to six rounds if we're lucky.
We'll send you more weapons. Move out.
Five to six days. We're counting on you. Hold them back. At all costs.
Head of the School. Open the gate!
Greetings from the Infantry School.
- Why are you so serious, Pakhomov? - There's a reason for that. Right, Rayeel?
Rayeel!
There's something I've always wanted to know.
When performing CPR, do you purse your lips like so? Or like so?
It depends. Everyone's lips are different.
Right. Our medical instructor even said,
"Pakhomov, before you pass out you'd better put your lips together
because your mouth doesn't conform to military standards."
Masha!
Alex asked me to tell you he can't come to see you today.
Why? What happened?
He's under arrest. He and Dmitry had a fight.
How come you're so quiet?
You asked me out on a date but now you're all tongue-tied.
- Shishkina... Lucy... - Well? What is it?
Shishkina...
I'm proposing to you.
Will you marry me?
General assembly!
Artillery cadets, assemble!
Infantry cadets, to the school! On the double!
Rayeel! Yakhin! Come on!
Comrades! Cadets and commanders!
The Nazis are pushing towards Moscow.
Our fathers and brothers are laying down their lives to halt their advance.
Today is our turn.
We have been tasked with a crucially important mission.
We must get to the Ilyinsky Frontier by morning, take up defenses
and hold back the enemy for at least five days until reinforcements arrive.
No matter what the enemy throws at us,
no matter what forces we encounter, we must persevere!
The outcome of the entire war with the fascist swine may now depend on us.
If we must die, we will die as heroes. There can be no surrender!
Everyone's going to fight the Nazis... No way I'm staying behind. Safronov?!
Let me out! You hear me, Safronov?
Dmitry, let's break out of here.
The sentry will bring us lunch and we'll tie him up, gently.
It's not going to work. We'll just get ourselves ten more days of arrest.
It'll work, Dmitry. Our guard is Safronov.
Precisely, Safronov. You couldn't care less about him, could you?
Do you know what they'll do to him?
Could you have cared less about me back in the barracks, or right now?
Can you, for once in your life, act not in accordance with the Regulations?!
Go on, hit me. Come on!
Coward. You're just a coward, using the Regulations as an excuse.
Alex? Lavrov?!
Alex, why are you and Dmitry here?
- We just had a little fight. - Is he alright?
Of course he is. We only smacked each other once.
Masha! Grigorieva!
Masha! They'll release me five days from now. Only five days.
I don't know where I'm going to be five days from now.
I'll find you. Whatever it takes. Just be careful out there, okay?
It'll take at least 24 hours for 3,500 cadets to get there.
If the Germans advance past Ilyinsky there will be no stopping them,
so we're deploying a vanguard.
Their task is to cross the Ilyinsky line by nightfall,
and join forces with Captain Storchak and his detachment of paratroopers.
Don't we have more details?
Storchak used to teach military intelligence.
He formed a guerilla squad with his students and kept its size secret.
Why?
So that no one can tell how many are still behind enemy lines.
The vanguard and Storchak's detachment must hold off the enemy to buy us time.
Comrade Mamchich, assemble your men and equipment and move out immediately.
Yes, sir.
- Take the best cadets. - Yes, sir.
Alyoshkin, that troublemaker from yesterday. What was his name? Lavrov?
Yes. sir.
Put him on the vanguard. Guys like him are worth their weight in gold. Do it now.
Yes. sir.
- Come on, load these in. - Hurry up.
- The ammo goes into the first two vehicles. - Cadets, hurry up with the crates.
Stop it, Mom. You're embarrassing me.
- Did you pack warm underwear? - Mom...
It's getting colder at night.
We'll only be gone for five days, Mom. We have a topography exam next week.
Son...
I'm begging you, don't do anything foolish.
Please remember that you're all I've got.
Alright, Mom.
I mean - yes, Comrade Military Doctor 3rd rank! Permission to go?
Permission granted, Cadet Nikitin.
Masha!
Alex is going as well. Strelbitsky himself put him in the vanguard.
They're leaving right now, before everyone else.
Lucky guys, they all received brand new sights.
- Vanguard, departing! - Convoy towards Yukhnov, departing!
Prepare to move out!
Off you go!
Come on, boys, get moving! Get that gun hooked up, quick!
Alex!
Shemyakin, snap out of it! Hurry, hurry, everyone take two sets of five rounds!
Five armor-piercing, five anti-personnel!
Move it, move it! Get those crates loaded!
- Third battalion, prepare to board! - Come on, come on, move it!
Stop! Move the truck back! Comrade Lieutenant!
All relatives, please clear the way! Take ten steps back!
Please step back! You, play something since you're here!
Start it up and get moving! Comrades, clear the area!
- Afanasy! - Step back...!
- Afanasy! - Daddy!
Lisa?!
Sorry... Coming through...
Lisa, what are you doing here?
We were waiting for you. I made soup. Did you have lunch?
- Daddy, are you going to war? - No, not to war, just to a training drill.
Everyone else is going to war. Why are you going to a drill?
Vovka...
You behave yourself, you hear me? And help your mom.
I'll be back. I promise I will.
Alyoshkin! Come on already!
I'll be back.
Come on, come on!
Vovka!
- Be a hero, son! - I will, I will, Daddy!
Clear the way!
"From the Soviet Information Bureau. Citizens of the Soviet Union!
Today, the Nazi air force carried out a series of air raids.
Many attempted attacks were deterred,
but several groups of planes broke through,
dropping high-explosive and incendiary bombs in various parts of the city..."
The white crescent moon, watching over...
Read us a poem, would you?
For most of us life is a rugged terrain: We're born into it out of screaming and pain.
We struggle to grow, to learn how to fly - What for? Just so that one day we would die?
I refuse to believe it. There's purpose in life. Through thorns, a path can be carved with a knife.
We must take the journey without any fear, And boldly approach our final frontier.
If a treacherous enemy stands in my way I'll soar like an eagle, I won't be the prey.
I'll rush into battle, and fight till the end. Because I was born in the Soviet land.
Take cover! Everyone into the trees!
- You alive? - Everyone out, head for the trees!
Out! Out! What are you doing?! Get out of there!
- Move it, move it, come on! - Get out, quick!
Bogatov?!
Get down!
- The ammo is burning! - The truck's on fire!
Get the ammo out of there, quick! Move it, move it, move it, faster!
Over here, we have to get the ammo off the truck!
- Watch it! Get them out of there! - Put it out, put it out!
- Come on, Tkachenko! - Go, go, I'll take it away!
Everyone get back, it's gonna blow!
Tkachenko, get out!
Tkachenko...
Tkachenko. He's alive.
Hurrah!
- Andrey! - You're alive!
- Get back in the vehicles! - Get back in, everyone!
- Come on, hurry up! - Medic, over here!
Bogatov's wounded!
Get a first aid pack, quick!
- Give me your rucksack! - Hurry!
- Put your head down. - My notebook...
Easy, easy...
Buddy...
Hang in there.
What a stupid way to die...
I didn't even make it to the front line...
You're a true hero.
WARSAW HIGHWAY
- Yakhin and Khalilov, come with me. - Yes, sir.
- Please stay where you are. - Sure, sure. Kids, stay put.
Mukhin and Lavrov, follow me.
- Don't be afraid, we're friends. - We're from Podolsk.
How do I know you're not lying?
Yesterday some "friends" came to the village.
They killed four people and took our mayor away.
What do they need him for? He's an old man with one arm.
What are you transporting?
What are we transporting? Some old clothes, shoes, trousers, a coat...
My kid's godmother's father died so she gave us his stuff.
Show them, Marusia.
- You're in charge of the unit, correct? - You're correct.
Commander of the infantry and artillery cadets' vanguard, Senior Lieutenant Mamchich.
Intelligence instructor Captain Storchak. These are my apprentices.
Can I see your documents?
There are more infiltrators here than there are mushrooms.
Can I see yours?
Alex?! Lavrov?!
- My bad, Comrade Captain. - Yerokhin, is that you?!
Yerokhin, do you know this cadet?
Yes, sir. We grew up in the same orphanage. He's Alex Lavrov.
That's good. Stand down!
Stand down!
Yerokhin!
- Lavrov! Buddy! Look at you! - And you!
Well, Senior Lieutenant, good to meet you.
This is how we capture Nazis around here, using live bait.
They act like they own the place, the bastards.
But now that we have artillery we'll give them hell, right?
Yerokhin! Zaitseva! That won't do.
You moved your foot, and you exposed the gun.
My mistake, Comrade Captain.
Mistakes like these could cost us all our lives!
We're lucky our friends took pity on us.
That's reconnaissance. The main force will come later.
Let the motorcycles pass - my kids will take care of them,
but the heavy vehicles are all yours.
They look so sure of themselves...
They don't know our artillery's arrived. Best of luck.
Man your stations! Gun No.1 - infantry, anti-personnel!
Guns No. 2 and 3 - vehicles, armor-piercing!
- Armor-piercing! - Armor-piercing loaded!
Reference, center, twelve to the right, armor-piercing!
- Armor-piercing loaded. - Armor-piercing loaded!
- Ready! - Fire!
Fire!
- Fire! - Firing!
Got it.
Front vehicle, armor-piercing!
- Armor-piercing loaded! - Fire!
Infantry, anti-personnel!
Germans on the right!
Follow me!
- Second squad, follow me! - Yes, sir!
Cut off the infantry!
Follow me, follow me! Lavrov, get back to your gun!
Lavrov, what the hell? Get back!
Are you with the artillery?
Follow me.
I said, follow me, soldier!
...Pavlenko, and Sinitsyn.
- Captain Rossikov! - Yes?
- Is this your soldier? - Yes, he's gun layer Junior Sergeant Lavrov.
Explain to me why your gun layers go off on one-man attacks?
At least he was attacking and not retreating.
You're not taking this seriously... Are you so determined to be a hero?
You heard a battle cry and your feet took you looking for a skirmish?
What if you got shot between the eyes? You'd be lying here like these boys.
Only they died while doing their job. Your job is to operate artillery.
You're a gun layer, a specialist. Without specialists there's no artillery!
And without artillery the rest of us will have no protection,
and we'll all end up like this! Lying side by side.
Lavrov, for violation of the Regulations you are demoted to ammo carrier.
Yes, sir.
Move it, move it!
ILYINSKY FRONTIER
They brought greenhorn cadets. Things must be really bad.
They'll perish here, all for nothing.
Comrade Colonel, we built nine pillboxes on this side of the highway
and eleven more on the other.
Some of them aren't by the river but further away, on the second and third lines.
Comrade Colonel, we've been working 20 hours a day every day.
We even dig at nights...
You call this a line of defense? Why isn't anything ready?!
Why do you say that, Comrade Colonel? This is a concrete pillbox, one of many!
This is a concrete coffin. There are no armor plates at the gun ports.
One direct hit and everyone inside is dead!
Where are the doors?
A couple of grenades thrown in from the rear and we're dead meat!
There's no camouflage.
From above, from the opposite riverbank - we'll stick out like sore thumbs!
They'll blow us to pieces and we won't even slow them down!
We've done all we could.
We even have women and old men working without sleep, Comrade Colonel!
Don't you hide behind women's backs.
I've got 3,500 boys on the way here, just to be killed on the spot!
You want to help them die faster?
But I've got no armor plates, and no doors either!
The fortifications were due to be completed two months from now.
Nobody imagined that the Germans would ever make it as far as here.
Oh, Smirnov is here.
The cadets have joined the locals in fortifying the riverbank
and setting up anti-tank and anti-infantry obstacles.
Two more infantry battalions will arrive tonight, and one more in the morning.
Most of my cadets are still on the way as well.
There are no field kitchens, there's only a day's worth of dry rations,
and we haven't received the guns we were promised.
The vanguard will last a day or two at the most.
Any ideas regarding our defense strategy?
The Germans have no choice but to cross this bridge.
Zaitsevo and Bolshaya Shubinka are surrounded by marshes.
Even if they try to go through we can easily push them back.
But if their entire force moves over the bridge we'll be overwhelmed.
Which is why I propose blowing up the bridge.
I forbid that.
I have orders to keep the bridge intact for the counterattack when our tanks arrive.
I consider it necessary to increase support for the vanguard.
They'll have to hold out much longer than we thought.
We must arrange for the delivery of reinforcements, ammunition and provisions,
and organize medical care and evacuation of the wounded.
As for the frontier...
Colonel Strelbitsky, I give you complete authority to command anti-tank fire.
I haven't seen any refugees in two days now.
That means the Germans are very close and we'll meet them soon.
What are you doing sitting here idle, my darlings?
Comrade Lieutenant, we don't know what to do, we've just arrived.
Give us shovels. We're ashamed not to be working.
Shame on you indeed. What do you need shovels for?
You're musicians, your calling is to play music for people.
So play. Play, boys.
Give people a little bit of joy.
When the first shell explodes near your pillbox, get ready.
After the second shell, grab the gun and pull it out of the pillbox.
But, Comrade Colonel...
I know. The Regulations forbid taking the gun out of the pillbox.
You know that, but so do the Germans.
Once they've corrected their aim, their next shot will hit the pillbox,
and that's when you shouldn't be in it.
When the smoke clears, bring the gun back in and continue as you were.
WARSAW HIGHWAY. VANGUARD POSITION
Not yet... Now, get ready...
- Reference two, enemy tank! - Ready!
- Fire! - Firing!
Missed it!
- Son of a..! - Adjust your aim, quick!
Ready!
- Fire! - Firing!
Well done, Lavrov. I wouldn't have believed it if I didn't see it.
Keep digging, comrades, keep digging, please, the Germans are near!
Lift the trail! Guns to position!
- To position. - Yes, sir.
They bought us three days and that's good.
But we need them to hold out longer, until the fortifications are complete.
Then hold out we will.
- Lavrov, armor-piercing! - I've only got anti-personnel rounds left!
Fire anti-personnel to keep their heads down, and let's fall back.
Get the wounded ready!
He's from the vanguard. Get him ready for surgery.
Firing!
Come on, come on, move it!
Go!
Tanks! Our tanks!
The vanguard is exhausted after holding out for five days.
Thankfully, the 17th Tank Division...
The tanks are being sent to Borovsk.
Also, I must inform you that the reserves will arrive later than expected.
That means we'll have to face the enemy here on the frontier.
I suggest we disband what's left of the vanguard
and have the cadets rejoin their battalions before dawn.
Thank you. Good luck in Borovsk.
Sixty-eight dead.
Guys, have any of you seen Junior Sergeant Lavrov?
You mean Alex?
He's here, near Alexeyevka, with Captain Storchak's guys.
Drive faster, Comrade Captain! I'm running out of ammo!
This is as fast as it can go on one cylinder!
Firing!
Come on, come on, move along!
So long, Captain! Godspeed! Show the Germans no mercy.
- Damn right. - Good luck to you!
You too.
Move it, move it!
- Masha? - Don't get up.
Where are we?
Orders came for the vanguard to retreat to the main position.
And you? How come you're here?
Why are you crying?
This is nothing, just a flesh wound.
So many got killed...
We dug graves all night and still we didn't manage to bury all of them...
Lavrov!
Looking good. Shell shock makes a man more handsome.
Get well soon. Remember where your place is?
- I do. - That's right. Behind your gun.
You have a beautiful future wife, Lavrov. What's more, a loyal one.
She said, "I'm his bride-to-be and I'm not going anywhere until he's found."
So we had to comb the entire area.
You're a lucky man, Lavrov. Take good care of her.
Bye for now!
Move it!
My "bride-to-be"?
Come on, come on, move along!
ILYINSKY FRONTIER. 1ST LINE OF DEFENSE
"...I miss you so much I can't bear it."
"Martha my dear, my sweetheart,
I think of you always, every minute of the day."
"...We sleep for three hours and then dig trenches."
"...All night long I gaze at the sky, deep and dark like your eyes, sweet Martha."
Now ask her about the cow.
Pakhomov! Why aren't you sleeping?
I'm hungry but there's no food. So I can't sleep.
Here.
You're a kind soul, Vasilkov!
That's what higher education does to people.
I don't eat much. You're a big guy, you need food, so have at it.
Once we kick the Nazis back out you'll have to visit me in Kherson.
I'll fatten you up, I swear, Vasilkov.
My mom's borscht is to die for.
What is it, Pakhomov?
Comrades, put your helmets on.
Helmets on!
- Get down! - Into the trenches! Lie low!
Germans!
Get back into the trench!
They're just empty barrels!
Get back in here! You'll get yourself killed!
- Where are you going, you idiot?! - Take cover, everyone!
- Get back into the trench! - Get down! Lie low! Face down!
Get down!
Down!
Get back!
Buddy! Stay down, Vasilkov. Stay down.
Down!
2ND LINE OF DEFENSE. LIEUTENANT ALYOSHKIN'S POSITION
Maintain your positions.
Get up! Get up! Get up!
- I can't hear anything! - I said, get up!
I can't hear anything!
Where am I? Medic?! Medic?
Sergeant's going to kill me.
I lost my rifle. Sergeant's going to kill me.
My rifle... Sergeant's going to kill me.
Listen up, everyone!
Get your weapons in order!
- Listen up... - Get up.
- Get your weapons in order! - Get up, brothers!
Listen up, everyone! Get your weapons in order!
Check your weapons and equipment!
Get your weapons in order! Get up!
Pakhomov? Pakhomov?
Victor... Our trench collapsed... And your rifle got buried in it...
This is so unfair, Pakhomov, so unfair... What about your mom's borscht?!
Quiet down, Vasilkov, quiet down.
I got smacked in the head but I'm fine.
I survived the Winter War and I'll survive this one, too. You dummy...
Good lad, good lad, good lad...
- And where's... what's his name... - Who?
Comrade Commander, there are tanks on the other side! Lots of them!
Man your stations!
Man your stations, cadets!
Armor-piercing!
- Armor-piercing! - Armor-piercing loaded!
Machine gunners, prepare to cut off the infantry!
Target - leading tank!
Ready!
- Fire! - Firing!
Targeted fire only!
Firing!
Armor-piercing, now!
Fire!
They're on us, roll the gun out!
Roll the gun out of the pillbox, now!
Get the gun back in! Move it, move it!
Armor-piercing loaded!
Fire, Pavlov! Fire!
Yes!
- Armor-piercing! - Armor-piercing loaded!
They're on us, roll the gun out!
Pull! Move it, move it, move it!
- Get behind the gun! - Take cover!
- Your turn, Lepyokhin! - Lead, half target length!
Ready!
- Fire! - Firing!
Nice one, Lepyokhin!
Target - retreating enemy tank, armor-piercing!
Ready!
- Fire! - Firing!
Alex?
Dmitry?
You're alive! Thank God you're alive!
Alyoshkin allowed me to go look for you at the medical post.
Nobody knows what's going on.
We're positioned on the second line.
Everyone is fighting, except for us.
After three attacks on the frontier
it's all gone quiet and we don't know what to expect.
What about you?
Did you kill many Nazis?
Many, Dmitry... Many.
But they killed a lot of our guys too.
Alexey Sinitsin,
Rustam,
Vasily Losev,
Polushkin,
Ryzhenko,
Sushko,
Anatoly Mukhin,
Ozerov,
Gorokhov,
Zhuravlyov,
Alex Zhilin,
Yakov Livstein,
Kutumov,
Rodionov,
Nikolai Andreyev,
Vasily Akulov,
Fedor Gromov,
Nikolai Kireyev,
Andrey Belov...
They said you were experienced, but you're snorting like a horse.
I am experienced, Comrade Captain,
but the nights are getting cold, and I've got a runny nose.
How about I cover you instead? The kid is too scrawny.
- What's your experience? - I was a scout in 1940, near Vyborg.
What?
That's a battalion radio vehicle, the fourth one already.
Which means there are at least four artillery battalions around here.
Here are the exact coordinates of where their vehicles are concentrated.
Take them to headquarters. Yerokhin, go with him.
We'll stay and try to get us a prisoner.
According to our reconnaissance, in the Semionovsky Lake area
the Germans are gathering a powerful force of armored vehicles and infantry.
We won't be able to withstand them.
We already lost more than half of our troops on the front line,
dead and badly wounded. We also lost a lot of equipment.
We'll need time to get reinforcements and to regroup.
Comrade Major, we can't do this without you.
Comrades, meet Major Dementiev, commander of missile artillery battalion.
He brought us new weapons that require special secrecy.
What do you say, Major?
The German position is within range,
but we'll have to get to this field two kilometers from the front line.
Your help is vital to us. We need at least a day to reorganize our defenses.
We'll provide for your safety.
You shouldn't have left the medical post without permission.
I just want to see the guys. I'll get back in the morning.
You two, on the ground, face down, now! On the ground, I said!
Show me your documents.
What?
You can get up. You're fine.
Get back in the car.
- Please keep our encounter a secret. - Even from Colonel Strelbitsky?
He knows where we're heading.
I guess we saw something we weren't supposed to see.
- Why is it moving so slowly? - And with headlights off...
Comrade, have you seen a convoy?
Which way did they go? I had to stop for a repair and fell behind.
I saw a convoy go that way, toward Zaitsevo.
- Have you got any matches? - I've got some.
Would you light it yourself?
I injured my hand yesterday, it's all swollen now. I'm on my way to a hospital...
- Which direction did they come from? - From there.
And they left the same way they came.
We must secure this field and this forest road.
Take fresh cadets from the reserve. And keep your eyes open.
Yes, sir.
The bastard. He's drinking one shot after the other.
What's that he has there? Some kind of a melon?
It's a pineapple.
A pineapple?
And we haven't had our rations delivered for three days now.
I'd love to treat the boys back in camp.
Let's do it.
Capture the German.
Prepare to fire!
Ready?
What the... Let's go!
Lavrov?! Cadet Lavrov, why aren't you at the medical post?
He's begging you to spare his life. He'll tell you everything he knows.
His superiors demand that they push for Moscow as fast as they can.
They're preparing a strike on Bolshaya Shubinka in the next few days.
They'll continue fighting for the bridge,
but they're gathering large forces near Bolshaya Shubinka as well.
The officer just called his orderly a cowardly cur
and said that the USSR is a backward country.
He says that in Poland...
...in a losing situation, Polish soldiers choose to surrender...
...but Russian soldiers choose to die.
He says they recently ambushed a squad of "Red Cadets" -
he's probably talking about our vanguard.
He says, "We could've just massacred them all...
...but we acted in a civilized manner by offering them an honorary surrender.
And what did your Red Cadets do?"
Well, what did they do?
He says, "They pelted our troops with hand grenades. Who fights like that?"
He says...
Go on, translate.
He says, "You raised a bunch of..."
"...savages."
Have some, Comrade Captain. We captured it together.
Eat, eat.
Well, goodbye, Pakhomov.
Take care.
Whoa, what's this?
Pineapple.
Pineapple...
Move it, move it! Hurry up, brothers.
Guys, lend us a hand here...
Hey, guys. Brought you some ammo.
And... some treats.
Looks like the Fritzes shat their breeches. No sign of them in 24 hours.
Hiding like rats.
They're hiding, that's for sure. Grab some shovels, guys, and get to work.
Shovels? We thought we could finally make use of our rifles.
Let me explain for you fearless lot:
It's hard to drop a bomb precisely into a trench.
If it explodes nearby, the breastwork shields you from flying debris.
So get to work, brothers. That'll keep you warm, too.
We're not here to protect ourselves, we're here to protect Moscow.
How will you protect Moscow if a bomb fragment takes half your head off?
- Take cover! - Get down!
- Gas! - Gas masks on!
Gas! Everyone, put your gas masks on!
- Yakhin, where's your gas mask?! - It's not gas, it's a smoke screen.
They're going to storm the bridge.
Gas masks off!
Fix bayonets! Fire at the infantry!
Why are we on the second line? Our battery is the best in the school!
That's precisely why you're here! We didn't get our howitzers,
Dementiev's artillery battalion was withheld, and the tanks went to Borovsk.
Your battery, Alyoshkin, is my last reserve.
Charge, boys!
Fight to protect the heart of our Motherland! Fight for Moscow!
Hurrah!
Hurrah! I killed one!
I can't see... I can't see. Do I still have my eyes?
You do. It's just shell shock, buddy. They'll fix you up at the hospital.
I'm not going to the hospital.
I can be useful here. I still have my hands, I can load machine gun belts.
You've fought before, right?
Where?
In Spain.
Is it beautiful out there?
Rayeel, are you alive?
Rayeel, wake up, I'm begging you!
Wake up, sweetheart...
Can you hear me? Wake up... Wake up, Yakhin! I'll marry you!
I'll marry you!
Rayeel, I'll marry you!
They're melting.
Wait. He's alive.
Don't bury him! He's alive!
Snowflakes are melting on his skin!
Don't bury him! Don't bury him!
Snowflakes are melting on his skin! He's alive!
He's alive.
Get him to the medical post, now!
Tomorrow they'll strike at Bolshaya Shubinka. Send more weapons there.
- We only have old training guns. - Send whatever you have.
Binoculars.
We'll get Germans to pull as many forces there as possible,
and get them stuck in the marshes. But they won't stop attacking here, so...
Tonight, plant explosives under the bridge
and be prepared to blow it up when I give you the order to do so.
- What if our tanks arrive? - I don't know when they'll arrive,
but there are at least 200 enemy tanks sitting across the river.
Our defenses are dwindling yet the main gateway is wide open.
3RD LINE OF DEFENSE. LIEUTENANT SHAPOVALOV'S POSITION
- Guys, where's Dmitry Shemyakin? - There he is, over there.
- Hey. - Hey.
I'm being sent to Bolshaya Shubinka, as part of the reinforcement.
Finally there's real work for us. We're tired of camping here.
I'll be waiting for your return.
Will you really?
Yes.
What are you reading?
The Field Manual.
- Oh, hey Alex! - Hey.
- Get well soon. - So we can fight side by side.
I'm fine. This is such nonsense, they're keeping me out due to a minor scratch.
Here, take some dried bread with you. This is from all of us at the medical post.
Thanks, Alex!
Take these. You'll need your strength tomorrow.
Don't get the wrong idea.
Alex, she and I have known each other since we were three.
We played in the same sandbox, and shared a desk in school.
Everyone thought we'd get married.
Forgive me, buddy. The deal you and I made wasn't fair.
I was scared to lose Masha and I... acted mean. I'm sorry.
It's fine. But you sound like you're saying goodbye. Stop it.
We'll talk when you get back.
Don't worry, Slava! They're just trying to scare us!
Once they're done with the bombing we'll give them hell!
NEAR THE VILLAGE OF BOLSHAYA SHUBINKA
Fire anti-personnel rounds at the infantry!
- Don't fall back! - Germans on the left!
Hold your ground!
- Armor-piercing! - Armor-piercing loaded!
- Fire! - Fire!
- Armor-piercing! - Armor-piercing loaded!
- Come on! - It's jammed!
Into the trench, now! Move it!
Slava, get into the trench! Slava!
How are things now in Bolshaya Shubinka?
Your Slava is holding on great.
Is he?
Yes.
- Slava, give me your hand! - Andrey! Andrey!
- Help me get him! - Stay here, cover me.
Do you know Lucy Shishkina?
Lucy? Of course I know her.
Where is she? On the front line?
On the front line.
Drink your tea. Lucy helped pick the herbs for it.
She also washed your uniform.
Be gentle when unloading the wounded!
Carry the severely wounded into the big hall.
The walking wounded go by themselves.
Get the wounded ready for transport to Podolsk.
They burned Andrey Tkachenko!
Give me a rifle! Give me a rifle! Now!
I killed him, Dmitry! He burned Andrey Tkachenko, and I killed him!
- Yes, Slava, you did great! - Really?
- Just please don't tell my mom, okay? - Of course we won't tell her.
Don't tell anyone at all.
Let them think I'm alive.
My best buddy went to Bolshaya Shubinka too. His name's Leonid Zuev.
We're from the same village, and we were classmates.
And we went fishing together... We did everything together.
When we were leaving for the School his mom hugged us and said,
"Take care of one another."
What will I write to her now?
...An urgent report from Shubinka.
He's drifting in and out of consciousness. He's dying, Comrade Colonel.
I'm Junior Political Commissar Filippov.
The Germans captured Bolshaya Shubinka. Forgive us, we failed to hold them back.
There are fewer than 40 infantry left alive,
They're holed up in houses around the perimeter.
- What about the artillery? - They're all dead.
All of them. They all got burned alive!
Ivan...
- What is happening, Ivan? - What is happening?
- War. - Yes, it's war...
...but why is this war being fought by all these young kids?
And why is there no mention of them in the communiques,
as if they've all been forgotten?
They haven't seen anything in life yet.
They haven't seen life yet.
And they're being blown to pieces and burned alive.
How is this a war?
It's a massacre, Ivan!
Why are you silent?
Soon there will be none of them left alive, out of 3,500!
Where are the reserves they keep dying for?
They're not dying for the reserves.
Yes.
They're protecting Moscow, and our Motherland.
But why doesn't our Motherland care about them?
Or at least about those who aren't dead yet?
What do you want me to say to you?
My orders are to fight till the end.
Out there, near Bolshaya Shubinka, the few survivors are still fighting,
and I can neither send them help nor order them to retreat.
What else can I say to you?
But they will all perish out there.
All of them.
Then that's how it must be.
In this war.
- Where's Lucy Shishkina? - What?
Stop pretending you can't hear me. Why are all of you here and she isn't?
- Oh, again. - More cigarette paper.
You can also stuff some in your boots for warmth.
- What are you talking about? - The message that fell from the sky.
"Valiant Red Cadets!
You fought bravely, but now your resistance has lost its meaning.
We seized the Warsaw Highway almost up to Moscow." Oh my!
They're already almost in Moscow - and we're here freezing our asses.
"In one or two days we will capture Moscow.
You are true soldiers, and we respect your valor."
You hear that, guys? They respect us.
"Surrender and go over to our side.
You will receive a friendly welcome, delicious food and warm clothes."
Guys, to be fair, what are we doing sitting here starving?
Here's a taste of the good life - warm and delicious!
I bet there'll be schnapps, too.
"Use these leaflets as your passes."
You know what, guys? I can't wait any longer.
I think I'll put this pass to good use.
- What if it's laced with poison? - I'm off to test it.
- Sergey, what's wrong with you?! - It's the shell shock.
He went to use that "pass" as an ass-wipe.
Something came over me, brothers. Did I shoot him? Did I shoot him?!
What's wrong with you, Sergey? I nearly shat myself just now.
Don't even think about returning to the front line.
You need beds for new arrivals from Bolshaya Shubinka.
We're sending you to a hospital.
I can't go to a hospital! I have to join my guys! I'm recovered!
What the hell?
Obviously the cable got ripped up in an explosion.
What needs to be done?
- Where did you come from, soldier? - Bolshaya Shubinka.
- But everyone there died. - Except me.
Dmitry?
Dmitry! Dmitry!
You're alive! Dmitry, you're alive!
Are you wounded?
Dmitry...
Dmitry? Dmitry?
Are you wounded? Dmitry, are you wounded?
Not a single scratch, can you believe it?
As if I'm bulletproof.
This is Slava's blood on me.
Has anyone else returned?
No. There's no one else left alive.
Boom.
Attention, cadets.
Why do we have to collect you from trenches and pillboxes?
Why do you refuse to go to the hospital?
You're military men, and I gave an order for you to go to Podolsk.
Comrade Colonel, we held a Komsomol meeting,
and decided that those of us who can still hold a weapon
must stay on the front line.
Here's the transcript.
We can still fight.
If Germans cross the river we can at least help by carrying ammo.
At the hospital we won't be of any use.
If need be we will die, but the Nazis will remember our resistance forever.
- That's right. - We're staying.
Boys...
I would gladly join you right now in a bayonet charge,
and tear apart any Nazi bastard who stands in our way.
But our mission is not to die as heroes, but to hold the line,
for as long as possible.
And for that we need to stay alive.
Also...
You must complete your studies,
and I must see to it that our army gets trained commanders.
So that you lead other soldiers in our fight against the Nazis.
You have to go, boys.
Load these crates in!
You can't do that, Alex. I'm begging you, don't do it.
I'm not going to the hospital, Masha. This is not a wound,
it's just a scratch on my arm.
Personal belongings in the first vehicle, medical equipment in the third.
What about your shell shock?
What shell shock, Masha? I can see and hear, I have my memory...
Please, Alex! You must stay alive! I need you to stay alive!
They're like two lovebirds. Seeing them brings me so much joy...
Keep loading those crates!
Alex, please go.
Please go.
Cadet Lavrov, replace your bandages and prepare to board.
- Comrade Military Doctor, I... - You heard me.
Grigorieva, assist the cadet.
So you're my bride-to-be?
Bye, guys. Bye, brothers. Good luck to you.
Cadets, into the vehicles!
- Bye. - Safe journey.
Well, goodbye.
Dmitry, help me stay. Hide me please. I can't leave right now.
I know this is against the Regulations but I'm asking you as a friend.
Come on, Dmitry, do it for me.
Nikitina is watching. Wait.
Now.
Cadets, into the vehicles!
- Bye, guys! - Safe journey!
Into the vehicles, come on!
See you back at school!
- We're all loaded! - Come on, come on, guys!
You lot, into the second vehicle!
On you go!
3RD LINE OF DEFENSE. LIEUTENANT MUSERIDZE'S POSITION
...We must camouflage our position! Our pillbox shouldn't be visible!
Remizov, take some guys with you and get us more straw.
Come on, move it!
3RD LINE OF DEFENSE. LIEUTENANT SHAPOVALOV'S POSITION
Get your first aid packs, boys.
Grigorieva, what are you doing out and about? Into the shelter, quick!
Yes, sir!
Get your first aid packs, soldiers!
- Why are you like that? - Like what?
Just... different.
It's because you do as you please and I don't like that.
Ah, so it's like that now?
Alex, it looks like we're going back to school.
Who's "we"?
All of us. They're sending all the newly wounded straight to Podolsk.
I heard that orders came for us to fall back to Maloyaroslavets.
They'll announce it any minute now.
- Did everyone get their first aid packs? - Yes, ma'am!
I still have to go to Alyoshkin's pillbox.
Tanks! Our tanks!
Hurrah!
Museridze, our tanks!
Comrade Lieutenant, our tanks are here!
2ND LINE OF DEFENSE. LIEUTENANT ALYOSHKIN'S POSITION
Our tanks! Hurrah!
Now we'll show the Germans what we're made of!
Guys, they're German tanks! Man your stations!
- Fix bayonets! - Ready yourselves!
Roll the guns to the secondary position, now!
How did they get behind us?!
Lavrov, the front tank is yours!
Germans! Battery, ready yourselves! Roll the guns out to position!
Armor-piercing, give it some lead!
The bastards put our flag on their tank!
The first four made it through!
Alyoshkin will take care of them. Target - fifth tank!
Ready!
- Fire! - Firing!
- Target - rear tank! Armor-piercing! - Armor-piercing loaded!
Ready!
- Fire! - Firing!
Good lads, they cut off their escape route.
How did the bastards get here?
Could they have come here via Bolshaya Shubinka?
- Fire! - Firing!
- Go, go, go! - To the right!
Comrades, prepare for battle! Move it!
- Come on, come on! - Open the trails!
Armor-piercing!
- Come on, come on! - Come on, Shipilov, do it!
I can't make it in time!
Thank you, my friend!
- Turn the gun to face the bridge! - Mount up!
Front tank, armor-piercing!
- Come on! - Armor-piercing loaded!
Hurry!
- Ready! - Firing!
Got it!
Firing!
To the trenches, everyone! Quick!
Fire!
Good lads.
Nine targets in seven minutes.
The time has come.
Send messengers to inform everyone that our reserves have arrived,
our mission is completed, and our orders are to fall back.
Take cover!
Get the gun back into the pillbox before they see us!
- Shemyakin, the trails! - Ibragimov, push!
Come on, come on, move it!
Go, go, go!
Turn it around!
Comrade Lieutenant, troops are ordered to fall back to the new line of defense.
Reassemble at the command post.
We must relay the order to Alyoshkin.
Comrade Lieutenant, allow me to do it.
Do it, Lavrov.
Shemyakin, man your gun!
Dmitry... Dmitry...
Dmitry, everything's going to be alright.
- No need, Masha. - Bear with it. I'll help you now.
Masha...
- There's no point now. - There is!
Please don't interfere with my work, Cadet Shemyakin!
- You always have been stubborn. - Have I? Really?
Remember when I jumped into the river and nearly drowned?
You dragged me out, along the sand, crying...
...begging me not to die.
I was secretly looking at you...
You have such a great smile. Please keep smiling!
How old were we back then?
I was seven, and you were eight.
That's when I fell in love with you.
Tell me... Did you really kiss Alex of your own accord?
Yes.
That's good.
You've always made your own decisions.
That's good.
That's good...
Dmitry?
Is he hurt? Dmitry?
Dmitry, Dmitry?
Come on... Look at me!!!
- Dmitry... - Alex...
Alex...
Buddy...
Dmitry? Dmitry?
Do something! Can't you do something?!
Shemyakin? Shemyakin? Shemyakin?
Lavrov, man your gun!
Comrade Lieutenant, we have orders to fall back!
I was sent to relay the message!
Good. You go with the rest! I'll stay back and cover you!
Comrade Lieutenant, you can't stay here on your own!
Go, Lavrov! That's an order!
- I got the second tank in my sights. - Do it, Lavrov. Aim at the tracks.
Ready.
- Fire! - Firing!
- You're a good gun layer, Lavrov. - Thank you, Comrade Lieutenant.
See that huge tank there? Its armor is hard to pierce,
it's as thick as a hippo's skin, 30 mm even along the sides.
Focus on the second tank for now, its sides are weak. Aim for the turret.
He's looking for us, so sooner or later he'll turn the right way.
Have you even been to Red Square?
- No. - Too bad.
I'm from Tula. We have our own Kremlin. Why, is the Red Square really all red?
No, why? The walls are white, the cobblestones are black.
But back in the old times, "red" meant "beautiful".
I never did take my son to see it.
- You will. - Only after the war.
I have the target.
There are Germans right outside, with submachine guns,
and I'm out of ammo!
Take this.
Ready? Let's do it!
That's it.
We're in plain view now.
We only have a minute before he spots us and takes aim.
Look for a weak spot, Lavrov! This will be our last shot!
Fire anti-personnel rounds at the enemy over by Alyoshkin's pillbox!
Remisov, what's the hold-up? Come on!
- The breech is jammed, Comrade Lieutenant! - Come on, do something about it!
Comrade Lieutenant! For the second time, your orders are to fall back!
Move over!
The Germans are building a pontoon bridge, Comrade Lieutenant!
Wait just a little bit, buddy, and we'll be out of here.
Remember at the exercises you shot the dummy tank straight down the barrel?
Wait for him to take aim at us.
There's only one tank left. The last one. Come on, Afanasy. Come on, my boy.
"Attention! Attention! Moscow is speaking!
Our troops fought fierce defensive battles along the whole front,
inflicting heavy losses on the enemy.
The operations resulted in the destruction of 271 enemy tanks, 565 automobiles..."
DEDICATED TO THE PODOLSK CADETS, RED ARMY SOLDIERS AND OFFICERS
WHO DEFENDED MOSCOW AT THE ILYINSKY FRONTIER IN OCTOBER 1941.
THEY CHANGED THE COURSE OF THE WAR. THEIR MEMORY WILL LIVE FOREVER.
Provided by explosiveskull https://twitter.com/kaboomskull