This dramatic story of women in the war has won numerous international prizes and awards.

The action takes place during the Great Patriotic War (1941-1945). Russian Karelia, the autumn of 1941. Five anti-aircraft gunner girls, who are mostly under twenty years old, and their commander, Sergeant Vaskov, discover that a German subversive detachment has landed in this, still far-removed from the front line, locale. The information must be delivered to the headquarters. However, the saboteurs have broken communications, cutting off the small group from their own people and leaving them no hope of getting any help. The enemy endeavors to further penetrate into the rear of the Soviet army on a mission to destroy a number of essential facilities. Vaskov and the five girls accept battle, being outnumbered by sixteen Fascists, armed to the teeth...