War novels about the daily feat of Soviet front-line reconnaissance officers: the duel of strength and spirit, when the enemy’s front line is only a few steps away. Details of brutal fighting that even veterans—participants in those events—don’t talk about.
The fascists deliver a crushing counterstrike near Kharkov. Caught off guard, the Red Army is forced to retreat with heavy fighting. In one of the sectors, the reconnaissance unit of Captain Gleb Shubin is ordered to secure a corridor for the exit of our troops from encirclement. A handful of fighters for a long time successfully holds back the enemy armada. But forces are unequal. At the last moment, having practically lost all of his comrades, Shubin falls into an ambush. Understanding that his scouts have nevertheless completed the main task, the captain prepares—honorably—for his final battle…