
The film takes place at the end of 1941, when a huge German army is approaching Kalinin (Tver) in the hope of getting through it to the very heart of Russia — to Moscow. Only 2 thousand people gathered to defend the city in the complete absence of artillery and tanks. Only the echelons of the 5th Infantry Division are able to stop the enemy, but the saboteurs are ready to do anything to prevent this from happening. The plot centers on Major Pavel Sysoev, who, despite all attempts to keep calm in Kalinin, is accused of involvement in an enemy group.