Vitaliy Kovalenko

USSR, Late November, 1941. Based on the account by reporter Vasiliy Koroteev that appeared in the Red Army's newspaper, Krasnaya Zvezda, shortly after the battle, this is the story of Panifilov's Twenty-Eight, a group of twenty-eight soldiers of the Red Army's 316th Rifle Division, under the command of General Ivan Panfilov, that stopped the advance on Moscow of a column of fifty-four Nazi tanks of the 11th Panzer Division for several days. Though armed only with standard issue Mosin-Nagant infantry rifles and DP and PM-M1910 machine guns, all useless against tanks, and with wholly inadequate RPG-40 anti-tank grenades and PTRD-41 anti-tank rifles, they fight tirelessly and defiantly, with uncommon bravery and unwavering dedication, to protect Moscow and their Motherland.

Russia is at the dawn of great changes and the fate of a young man, Pyotr Cherkasov, who was forced to sacrifice his personal happiness to save the Motherland. In the center of events are bright and interesting characters, whose personal life history is woven into the history of European life. The interweaving of love lines, betrayal, jealousy, intrigue, exposing the enemies of Russia and the world order. Napoleon Bonaparte hatches plans to take over all of Europe. One of the most terrible wars in national history is approaching. In the meantime, the Russian people live in peace and ignorance. With the arrival of Prince Kuragin, the life of Peter changes forever. Emperor Paul I needs the best people to help Russia unravel Napoleon's insidious plans, and Kuragin, seeing Cherkasov's talents, invites him to go to St. Petersburg for military service. Cherkasov agrees, and now his life belongs to the Motherland.

The love story of the famous ballet dancer Mathilde Kschessinska and Tsar Nicholas II of Russia.