In summer 1944 Red Army troops reached
western frontier of the Soviet Union.
Looks like they've gone through.
I am sure they have made it.
Marchenko never fails
Yes. Comrade lieutenant,
"first" will be talking to you.
Listening, comrade "first".
How is it, Travkin?
Has Marchenko gone through?
Not yet.
But is everything quiet?
Everything is quiet for now.
Are you ready to cover the group's retreat,
if you see red flare?
Yes.
So, the Germans are quiet, aren't they?
What's your name?
Private signaller, Simakova.
How do your mom and dad call you?
Katia.
Have you been long on the front line?
It's my first day.
You are so beautiful, Katia.
Your hand.
My name is Andrei.
Captain Barashkin.
From the headquarters.
See you later, Katia.
Lida!
Lida!
I am here.
I am here, mom.
Look, I found a doll.
Mommy, mommy.
Calm down; I am here with you.
Step aside.
There's no tourniquet.
Bring the belt.
I went out; and it just blasted.
You are lucky; you've survived.
Get the horses back, understand?
Yes.
Inform the troops about the order
of the commander in chief
that the first unit to reach the frontier
will be awarded the
"Hero of the Soviet Union" order.
You understand; we are planning
a major military mission
that will be supervised
by the General headquarters.
Still, you have got no information
about intents of the enemy.
We have some.
We do all we can.
Two weeks have passed.
Two weeks,
and you still don't know much.
Head of corps staff demands
that we send scouts to the enemy rear.
We have already sent.
We have sent two groups.
Comrade colonel, let me report.
Go ahead.
They are still quiet, comrade colonel.
Maybe, they have made it through.
I got the assignment to help you organize
a new raid of scouts to the enemy rear.
I've got none to send.
I've got no more scouts.
Only two are left out of eighteen.
Perhaps, for you, 16 men are not much,
but for me every single counts.
I have some people in the reserve.
You will get some additional personnel.
Thank you for the assistance,
comrade captain.
Good day, girls.
Is there any news?
That is nothing. As long as Mamachkin
is alive, Hitler trembles, got it?
Is she new?
Have you come from another unit,
or right from above?
Let me introduce myself?
Sergeant Mamachkin.
Kostia.
Katia.
Nice to meet you.
You know what, Katia?
You are incredibly lucky
to have met me
Do you know who you
should be friends with in the army?
With you?
With the scouts.
Because scouts are
the best men on the frontline.
And, guess who is the bravest
and the most reckless.
Again, scouts.
And is the guy, you rode with,
also a scout?
Lieutenant Travkin? Yes.
You won't find anyone like him
in the whole Red Army.
He always runs around near the front line,
studying the map, making sketches...
That is just the way he is.
Help yourself;
everything is fresh and tasty.
Good afternoon, comrade lieutenant.
We have a beautiful lady visiting us.
From the communication unit.
Hello.
Where is the food from?
It is a gift from thankful civilians
to heroic Red Army
for freeing them
from the invaders ahead of schedule.
Please, join us. Take a sit.
One day at the observation point,
and let the thankful civilians
have some rest from you.
Yes.
Why do you allow
strangers to the position?
You should not have said it.
She is a good girl.
What did they tell you
at the headquarters?
We have to move out to scout.
How is that?
What do you mean?
We've got no men for that.
You mean, just the two of us will go?
We will have people.
Thank you, brother.
Here they are.
How can they be scouts?
They are only good
to drive mares in supply transport.
The group of three men has arrived
to reinforce the scout platoon.
The head of the group
is sergeant Brazhnikov.
I am commander of the scout platoon,
lieutenant Travkin.
A scout?
Yes, from the first Ukranian.
Good afternoon. I am private Kentakov
from infantry.
And why to a scout platoon?
I can shoot.
So, shoot.
I am a hunter.
Are you also a hunter?
No, I am not.
I am private Bikov.
I know the vicinity very well.
My home is about 30 km from here.
Being in a scout platoon
is not visiting your mommy.
Private Bikov!
I am sorry.
Our sort of man.
Comrade Lieutenant,
I am private Vorobiev.
Let me report.
Go ahead.
Do you need rated sportsmen?
What sport?
Chess.
At ease, private Vorobiev.
I also speak German.
(Speaks German)
"Zaria", "Zaria", come in.
I am "The Earth".
Reply to "The Earth".
Have you really been to Moscow?
Yes, twice.
Is it very beautiful?
Yes, very.
What did you want to be
before the war?
It would have been so great
to be in Moscow right now?
My sister is in Moscow.
She is in conservatorium.
Wow!
Does she sing?
She plays the violin.
What did you want to be?
I don't know yet.
I've just left my secondary school.
Did you volunteer to the front?
Yes, of course, I did.
So, the code for enemy tanks is 49,
For instance,
you need to say tanks are in this area...
You say: "49 in area 4".
If it is infantry, then...
"21 area 4".
Well done.
The code for the scout group is "Star"
and we will, as always, be "The Earth".
Don't you want to take
a radio operator with you.
Today I got a report
from private Simakova.
She wants to go with you.
What is it for?
We don't need anyone.
We are not going
for a nice walk in park.
OK, try yourself.
"The Earth", come in. I am "Star".
You hear me? Over.
"Star", I am "The Earth".
I can hear you well.
"The Earth", I am "Star". Reply.
"The Earth", can you hear me?
Anick Anick
Here I am, comrade Lieutenant.
How is you leg?
Good enough to dance.
Are you here to stay,
or going somewhere else?
My assignment is to another unit,
but I was late for my train,
and decided to see my unit
and my lieutenant.
A soldier I met on my way
told me you were still here.
You keep eating. They didn't feed
you like that in the hospital, did they?
So, you are going
to the rear of Germans?
Yes.
That is fun thing to do.
And where is Marchenko?
May his memory live forever.
Are you going with us,
or taking your new assignment?
I'd like to stay with you,
comrade lieutenant.
You will just have to inform the division
I have been assigned to
that I am not a deserter.
Surely we will inform them.
I haven't sent it to my mother.
Will you do it for me?
You will do it yourself, comrade lieutenant,
when you return.
Let's jump.
All right.
Let's sit for a while before we go.
There is no decamouflaging sound.
Katia, do you know the scouts are leaving?
Katia, tonight!
The scout group is ready
to cross the front line.
Head of the group
is lieutenant Travkin.
Let's synchronize our watches.
Running fast.
Move one minute back.
By 1:00 you should be
at the German trenches.
At 1:00 sharp
artillery will begin bombarding it.
And don't swerve,
or else you will get under my shells.
If by 1:00 you don't reach it,
come back at once.
Do you understand?
Yeah.
If I see your red flare, I will start bombarding
targets 7, 9, and 11 to cover your retreat.
I see.
Are the sappers ready?
Yes.
Listen to the battle-order!
According to the information we have,
the enemy is now regrouping its forces.
Command is ordering us to scout the area
held by the enemy
and confirm the regrouping.
We should identify the targets and
wire the information to the head-quarters.
Our main mission is to find the station
of enemy troops detraining,
locate areas of tanks
and infantry concentration,
reveal the find out the enemy's intentions
on the particular sector of the front.
I remind you that during the raid
you are forbidden to go into action
against the enemy and take captives
to avoid detection.
Follow me.
Crawl to the forest.
Comrade Captain,
"the first" will be talking to you.
Listening.
So, how is it going there?
It looks like they've made it.
Well done.
Report on the situation every hour.
Today at 22:00
the commander in chief ordered
to pay special attention to your operation.
I got it.
That way.
There's a swamp there.
Just go.
Come on, go, go!
"The Earth", come in. I am "Star".
"The Earth", come in. I am "Star".
How do you hear me? Over.
"The Earth", come in. I am "Star".
How do you hear me? Over.
I hear you, "Star".
Transmitting, 21 eagle-owl 2.
Transmitting, 21 eagle-owl 2.
Do you get me, "The Earth". Over.
"Star", I got you - 21 eagle-owl 2.
"Star", I got you - 21 eagle-owl 2.
I repeat, very many 21 eagle-owl 2.
Did you get me? Over.
I got you, "Star".
Very many 21 eagle-owl 2, very many.
Yeah, guys,
this sort of life is worth living.
I want to smoke.
S.S. units.
Doesn't look like defense to me.
There at the path there is a cart with food
and only two Germans guarding it.
Let me do away with them.
I will do it without a shot.
We should eat something.
We haven't had
anything to eat for a whole day.
Let them pass.
Comrade lieutenant, please.
We can't.
Needs be buried.
I will go and see what it is all about.
Don't.
It is dawning.
Does it hurt?
My leg came numb.
It is nothing. It will go away.
We must get this German
He is wounded, coming from hospital.
They won't start looking for him.
Should I also go.
You stay and guard the radio.
But why, comrade lieutenant?
It is not to be debated.
Heavy.
What division are you from?
Infantry division 131, sapper company.
Did you see S.S. units?
He says there are many of them.
They are everywhere.
Which units?
Tank division "Viking",
and elite units of Himler.
Others?
He doesn't know.
He says he is a worker, not a nazi.
He says he is from Leipzig,
he is not an S.S.
He is asking not to kill him.
Brazhnikov.
And take the sparrow with you.
Sparrow, look around
just to be on the safe side.
This happens.
Again night shift.
May I come in?
Hello.
Hello.
I'll go.
What's with him?
Is he alive?
Who?
Travkin.
Of course.
What is wrong, Katia?
What is wrong with you?
I thought something happened to him.
Don't cry.
Soon the war will be over.
The frontier is close
and Berlin is not far.
We must live.
We are not the only ones suffering.
No.
No.
There is a drunk dead German
lying around at the road.
And they call themselves a higher race.
Should we have a look?
Isn't he good?
What else could I do?
Should I have given myself up to him?
He was coming right towards me.
Do you understand?
What on earth have you done?
Now they will know about us.
He came to me himself.
Ok, ok. We'll settle it.
Let's carry him away.
He is a real S. S, an officer.
He must know everything.
Look at him.
Everybody takes prisoners,
and I still can't.
Don't worry, Sparrow.
There are a lot of them here.
Soon you'll manage to do it.
Wow!
An interesting sort of defense.
And what is this?
A railway station.
On the 10th of the current month
an officer of "Viking" division
headquarters disappeared.
His dead body was found
It appears that his death
was caused by an accident,
however there are grounds to believe
that he was killed by the green ghosts
that were spotted at the front line.
All the units of S.S,
Wermacht and Guard in the area
are ordered to undertake
all possible measures
to locate and liquidate
the enemy scout group.
I repeat,
this is possibly
the location enemy troops detraining.
We are continuing moving
in the planned direction.
"Star", this is "The Earth".
We warmly embrace you.
Did you get me?
Did you get me?
Come back soon.
Please.
It is full.
Let's go to the other truck.
Looks like a transport to the station.
Anikanov,
Bikov and you,
take Sparrow with you to listen...
Your task is to check ways
to approach the station.
Don't get yourselves into anything.
The rally point is here.
At the edge of the settlement.
Any questions?
No.
Then, do it.
Don'be afraid, Sparrow.
Only 10 km is left to my home.
We are gonna make it.
What?
The radio.
I failed to protect it.
The radio, Lieutenant.
Easy, easy.
They are ours.
Follow me.
Wait. Look.
The tanks.
The tanks are fake.
Bykov, wounded?
Wait.
I can do it myself.
Don't die.
Don't die.
My home is near here.
I will get there anyway.
During bombing of the railway station
an officer was stubbed to death
with a Russian army knife.
It is essential to increase efforts
and liquidate the enemy scout
group as soon as possible.
There is nobody around.
I've checked everywhere.
Comrade Lieutenant.
Let me look for them.
Maybe they got lost.
No. We'll wait here.
Comrade lieutenant.
This is not that station.
What?
This station is there just to draw away
our attention off the real one.
In fact, Germans detrain the tanks
at night in a quarry.
Here you can read it.
Maybe it's worth
going there and seeing for ourselves.
Yes, we should do it.
Let's go, Kostia.
Should we get the officer?
But lieutenant told us
not to take prisoners.
Lieutenant will forgive us.
We'll do it fast and then will go home.
Ok, let's do it.
We'll do it. We can do it.
A good German.
An important one.
From their head-quarters.
Give him some home-brew.
Make sure he is well.
Get it?
Yeah.
I wonder
when the counter-offensive will begin.
Ask him once more.
He says he won't
answer our questions.
This seems to be it.
A large-scale offensive....
Hitler considers very important...
Transfer of two S.S. tank divisions...
Concentration of forces
should be finished
in two days...
Our people
don't know anything about it.
We won't be able
to inform them about it.
We must.
In the location, where German
troops secretly concentrate
for massive and unexpected
counter-offensive
against Russian troops on both fronts,
operates an experienced
Russian scout group,
that has obtained
significant strategic information.
I order
all military units in the area to
provide personnel for operation "Trap"
and undertake all measures possible to
locate and liquidate the enemy scout group.
in the operation and also...
"Star", I am "The Earth".
Do you hear me? Over.
"Star", "Star"..
Comrade...
At ease.
"Star", I am "The Earth".
Do you hear me? Over.
You should go
and have some sleep.
"Star", I am "The Earth".
Do you hear me? Over.
A radio transmitter.
We should take it.
And fight with whole German army...
Why the whole army...
We can do it quietly.
We need to get
a radio transmitter at all costs,
Or else all we did is in vain.
Let's go.
I don't see the switch.
"Star", "Star", I am "The Earth"...
For as long as I live,
Hitler will tremble with fear.
You, bustard.
Breathe, sparrow, breathe.
Don't die, Sparrow, don't die.
Faster.
Go, go.
They've spoiled a good thing.
Let's get out.
I will lead them away.
Just be calm.
Seven.
Eight.
Sparrow!
How are you, Sparrow?
Breathe, breathe.
Breathe, breathe.
What?
What?
Left...left handle.
Left...left handle.
"The Earth", I am "Star".
Do you hear me? Over.
Breathe, breathe.
"The Earth", I am "Star".
Do you hear me? Over.
"The Earth", I am "Star".
Do you hear me? Over.
"The Earth", I am "Star".
Do you hear me? Over.
"The Earth", I am "Star".
Reply to "Star".
Get to the radio, Lieutenant.
Keep calling.
"The Earth", I am "Star".
Do you hear me? Over.
"The Earth", I am "Star".
Do you hear me? Over.
"The Earth", I am "Star".
Do you hear me? Over.
What?
Sniper.
On the left, behind the tree.
"The Earth", I am "Star".
Do you hear me? Over.
"The Earth", I am "Star".
Do you hear me? Over.
I can hear you, "Star".
I am "The Earth", over.
"The Earth", receive information.
In the area is concentrating
the 5th tank division "Viking"....,
They are secretly moving forces
from other areas of the front.
"The Earth", did you get it?
Ammo.
Give me some ammo.
The grouping consists of
The task of the enemy
is to disjoin our...
The troops and tanks
are being detrained at the quarry.
The operation is scheduled
to begin on the 16th of...
At 4 o'clock in the morning.
Get up!
It is a pretty bad thing to die, lieutenant.
Good afternoon.
"Star", "Star", I am "The Earth".
Reply to "The Earth".
"Star", "Star".
Tomorrow the offensive will begin,
the radio will be switched off.
"Star", "Star", I am "The Earth".
Reply to "The Earth". Over.
"Star", "Star", I am "The Earth".
Reply to "The Earth". Over.
"Star", "Star", I am "The Earth".
Reply to "The Earth". Over.
The information received from Travkin
was very important for the division.
The report went to the front-headquarters
and from there to General Headquarters.
German counter-offensive was foiled.
Poland was released.
The price paid for it was the lives
of half a million of Red Army soldiers.
I, captain Andrei Barashkin,
died near Visla river.
Katia Simakova lived to see the victory;
returned to her little town and worked
in a local school as a history teacher.
She never married.
The scout group
was for a long time considered lost.
Requests of relatives got the same reply:
"There is no further information..."
Only in 1964 all the scouts were rewarded
orders of World War Two of the 1st grade.
Posthumously.
But every spring,
every May,
the souls of the fallen on the fields
of Poland, Germany, and everywhere
go back to their homes to see their blooming
motherland they gave their lives for.