This novella by Belarusian writer Vasil Bykov (1924–2003), like most of his books, is dedicated to events of the Great Patriotic War. War is something enormous, bloody, and inhuman. But it is made up of episodes, and in each of them act specific people. The hero of the story, together with a group of fighters, must carry out an important mission to destroy an enemy base. However, much goes wrong compared to what was planned. Despite everything, Lieutenant Ivanovsky strives to complete the assignment—even if it costs his own life, and even if it changes nothing. Vasil Bykov’s gripping, fast-paced novella brings us back to the concept of true patriotism and selfless devotion, thanks to which Victory was achieved.
Musical composition by Konstantin Rachеev “In Reconnaissance” is used.