I am a stone.
I do not move.
Very slowly, I put snow in my mouth.
Then he won't see my breath.
I take my time.
I let him come closer.
I have only one bullet.
I aim at his eye very gently.
My finger presses on the trigger.
I do not tremble.
I have no fear. I'm a big boy now.
Ready Vassili?
Now Vassili. Fire!
Fire, Vassili!
All civilians, get off!
Make way, let the civilians off.
This is a military convoy.
No one stays onboard, but our valiant soldiers.
Convoy to Stalingrad.
Only for the soldiers of the Red Army.
Autumn, 1942.
Europe lies crushed beneath the Nazi jackboot.
The German Third Reich is at the height of its power.
Hitler's armies are charging through the heart of the Soviet Union
towards the oil fields of Asia.
One last obstacle remains.
A city on the Volga where the fate of the world is being decided.
Stalingrad.
The Army and all citizens of the Soviet Union
must defend every inch of Soviet soil.
Glorious comrades, Stalin has ordered not another step backwards.
Let us go forwards, comrades. Not a step backwards.
Listen to these letters sent by Russian mothers to their sons on the front.
"Volodya, our child, I know that it is for our motherland...
"...it is for our motherland that you are giving your life.
"Everyone here knows that you will not fall back.
"Everyone here is proud of you.
"Your father is dead. Your brothers are dead. Avenge us on the fascists."
Get in the boat!
Get back or I'll shoot. Get back from the rails.
Over here, stretcher.
The one with the rifle shoots.
The one without follows him.
When the one with the rifle gets killed,
the one who is following picks up the rifle and shoots.
The one with the rifle shoots.
The one without follows him.
When the one with the rifle gets killed,
the one who is following picks up the rifle and shoots.
Soldiers of the glorious Red Army,
from now on it is either victory or death.
- Those who retreat... will be shot. - I need a rifle.
There will be no mercy for cowards and traitors.
It's hopeless, comrades. Get back.
Fall back! Fall back!
It's no good. Get back. Get back.
In the name of the Soviet Union, not a step backwards, or we shoot.
- No retreat. Not a step back. - No mercy.
- Deserters will be shot. - Fire!
No mercy for cowards.
Russians, surrender.
You will see your home again.
This is not your war.
Join your German comrades.
They understand your suffering and will care more for you than your officers,
who are only sending you to your death.
The Third Reich is not your enemy.
The enemy is bloodthirsty Stalin and his Bolshevik gang.
Fire!
Get his coat, comrade Commissar.
With your permission, comrade Commissar.
- Which one should I aim at first? - Wait till there's an explosion.
- Do you know how to shoot? - A little.
Don't shoot. He's looking at us.
Thank you, comrade Commissar.
Danilov. Political officer, 2nd class, 21st lnfantry.
"On this day, September 20th, 1942, a young shepherd boy from the Urals...
"...arrived in the city of Stalingrad on the banks of the Volga.
"His name is Vassili Zaitsev.
"Like thousands before him he came to answer comrade Stalin's call.
"Armed only with a rifle, he quickly made the fascist invader realise
"that from now on he would be punished for every step he took in the motherland,
"that from here on the only way was back."
What do you think?
I think comrade Commissar is being over generous.
By order of comrade Stalin, no civilian can leave the city.
Get back there!
Stand away, or we will open fire.
Make way for comrade Stalin's envoy.
I carried out my orders.
I sent in all of my boys.
But the Germans engulfed us.
They have artillery, aircraft, tanks.
- And we, what did I have? - The sacred duty to resist.
I have to report to the boss.
Perhaps you would prefer to avoid the red tape.
My name is Nikita Sergeievich Kruschev.
I've come to take things in hand here.
This city is not Kursk.
Nor is it Kiev, nor Minsk.
This city is Stalingrad.
Stalingrad!
This city bears the name of the boss.
It's more than a city, it's a symbol.
If the Germans capture this city,
the entire country will collapse.
I want our boys to raise their heads.
I want them to act like they have balls.
I want them to stop shitting their pants.
That's your job.
As political officers, I'm counting on you.
You, what's your suggestion?
Shoot all the other generals who have retreated and their chiefs of staff, too.
Make some examples. Deport the families of the deserters...
Give them hope.
Here, the men's only choices are between German bullets and ours.
But there's another way. A way of courage.
A way of love of the motherland.
We must publish the army newspaper again and tell magnificent stories,
stories that exalt sacrifice, bravery.
We must make them believe in a victory.
We must give them hope, pride, a desire to fight.
We need to make examples, but examples to follow.
What we need are heroes.
Do you know any heroes around here?
Yes, comrade. I know one.
That's me. Vassili Zaitsev.
No. You're not dreaming. It's your name.
We made the front page.
They haven't changed a word.
Do you have any idea what this means?
It's not the back page, not the second page. It's the front page.
They're going to reprint our article everywhere,
in the Caucasus, in the Crimea, even in the Urals.
Tomorrow morning, Stalin himself will be sitting at breakfast
reading my words memorising your name.
We're famous, Vassili. Kruschev loved the article.
He's promoted me to the general staff.
And you to Sniper Division.
- That's good. - Very good.
- It's very good. It's great! - It's great!
It's great for both of us because we did it together.
I did all the hard work.
- You're lucky I can't fight back. - Why?
Kruschev told me to make sure nothing happens to you. You're too important.
- I'm too valuable. - Yes. Careful of my new glasses.
Sorry, sir.
I'm famous. We're famous.
Vassili, the shepherd from the Urals, killed his 12th German officer today.
- Zaitsev shot his 23rd... - One more colonel shot by...
He is an example to us all.
Today Vassili Zaitsev killed his 32nd general.
More men and women from all branches of our armed forces
volunteer to join the Sniper Division and learn the skills of Vassili Zaitsev.
I am a stone.
I breathe slowly.
I aim at the eye.
So it is you.
The great Vassili Zaitsev.
My mother makes the best potatoes and bacon in town.
Sounds good.
When she sees you, she won't believe her eyes.
- How many today? - Only two.
And the last one, why didn't you shoot him?
He was only a foot soldier. It wasn't worth giving away my position.
Bless you.
We know how much we owe you.
We pray for you every day.
Every evening we listen to them talk about you on Radio Moscow.
You've certainly managed well down here.
My parents used to store furniture down here before the war.
Sacha, drop that right now.
It's loaded.
- This way, comrade Commissar. - Thank you, comrade.
Good evening.
Comrade Zaitsev.
My God, where does all this mail come from?
From all over the country, Mrs Filipov, from all over.
This is from the workers of the Kurzbaz.
They want to name their mine after Vassili.
Right, let's start with the miners.
Come on, let's get to work.
Dear comrades from the Kurzbaz,
I thank you for your letter of praise.
R-A-l-S-E.
I hope that I can live up to your expectations.
A-T-l-O-N-S.
Expectations.
You're interested in German literature, Mrs. Filipov?
It's all right. It's our neighbour.
Tania, we have guests.
I recognise you.
It's Vassili Zaitsev.
I saw your picture in the paper. Thank you for everything you're doing.
- And this is his friend, Commissar...? - Danilov.
Tania's like a daughter to me.
She used to take care of Sacha when I worked at the factory.
She even taught him German. These books are hers.
- They're yours? - She studied German at the university.
- Which university? - Moscow.
- Shouldn't we...? - Yes, let's continue.
Your offer to name your mine after me is...
...a great honour.
- H-O-N. - Yes, I know, honour.
Shouldn't we try and make the point that I'm not the only one fighting?
That's an excellent idea. We can take it even further though.
Your battle for the production of coal is...as worthy as mine.
There's no 'K' in coal.
Just one 'L'.
Tell me if I'm going too fast.
No, you're not going too fast. Are there any other improvements?
Why don't you get some rest? These letters can wait until tomorrow.
We should carry on. We're not tired. Thank you, Mrs Filipov.
These people took the trouble to write to us.
Tomorrow we may not be around to write back.
I was expecting someone...else.
Certainly not someone so prestigious.
I imagine you have your reasons for getting involved in this hellish situation.
My army is not designed for this kind of fighting.
Yesterday, yet again, I had to promote 25 sergeants
to replace the officers shot down by their sharp shooters.
Those snipers are demoralising my people.
This city...is no more than a heap of ruins.
But the F u hrer's persisting.
He has made it a personal matter between Stalin and himself.
We should trust the F u hrer's instinct.
He always managed to lead us to victory.
We shall be back home for Christmas.
How are you going to go about finding this young Russian?
I'll fix it so that he's the one who finds me.
Vassili! Come on! Time to get up.
They have a problem in the department store. They need us.
Look, Vassili, he's hiding in the department store, over there.
So far this morning, he's knocked off five officers plus two machine gunners.
Look! Third floor.
- Fourth window from the left. - Fourth window...from the left.
- See him? - Yeah, I see him.
- You got him! - Great shot.
Let's go get his dogtag.
Goodbye, comrade Commissar.
Thank you for your hospitality, Mrs Filipov.
- You can borrow whatever you like. - What would they say at headquarters
if I came back with an armful of Goethe and sugar?
There's some marks, too.
You were assigned to civil defence at the 12th district?
No, I volunteered.
It's such a coincidence meeting you like this.
Comrade Kruschev was telling me just yesterday
how desperately we need operators who speak German.
I can't. Our militia in this neighbourhood is already short of men.
We'll give you a dozen soldiers for everyone that speaks German.
I'd rather stay and fight.
Serving headquarters is fighting. You'd be more useful there.
You stay here. You cover us. We go.
Take care.
Ludmilla, come on.
Take the stairway.
- It's a trap. - I know.
Move back.
He's still here.
They're coming straight for us.
Stay where you are. He's over there somewhere.
We've got to get out of here.
- We have to get out of here. - Just stay where you are.
- What are we gonna do? - Ludmilla, stay where you are.
Fuck this, I'm going.
Ludmilla, no!
What does this mean?
"A shepherd from the Urals receives a sniper's rifle.
"A 7.62 3.5 power telescope, pride of precision of Soviet production."
- I've seen that rifle close up. - Have you?
I even touched it. I know him well, Vassili Zaitsev.
Ludmilla and Anton were killed today.
- And it was my fault. - I'm sure that's not true.
It was a German sniper.
I walked them right into his trap.
- What else can you tell me? - He didn't relocate.
A sniper who doesn't relocate isn't normal.
He was very good. It wasn't just his shooting, it was his instinct.
He was a step ahead of me.
That's because he knows everything about you.
His name is Konig.
Major Konig. They've sent him here to kill you.
To find you.
We weren't sure if the information was reliable.
He's come all the way from Berlin to stop you.
You caused them sleepless nights, so they sent their top marksman.
- What do we know about him? - He's a major in the Wehrmacht.
He's director of their sniper school in Sussen.
Koulikov studied there before the war.
He knows all his tricks. From now on he'll go with you everywhere.
A nobleman from Bavaria who hunts deer
against a shepherd boy from the Urals who poaches wolves.
It's more than a confrontation between two nations.
It's the essence of class struggle.
I'm glad you're so happy.
He had all the advantages. Next time you'll be even.
No one shoots like you, Vassili.
She's been transferred.
I'll see if they're ready for you next door.
You look very smart in your new uniform.
Make sure they don't take it back once you've finished.
They probably will.
I've heard the rumour about the German.
- I wanted to wish you luck. - Thank you. I'll need it.
From what comrade Danilov tells me you're going to win.
It's time.
Come to my arms.
Put your cap back on. You look more heroic.
- This way, comrade Zaitsev. - I love this little fellow.
- Did you volunteer for the front? - How old are you?
Do you know what this means for our country?
Is it true you killed your first wolf when you were five?
How many fascists have you killed today?
It's a sign the Germans are starting to shit their pants.
Go on, tell us how you are going to deal with him.
Or rather, no...tell it to the boss.
He likes good hunting stories.
Look at him with pride... because he's looking at you.
The whole country is looking at you.
Forgive me, forgive me, Grandfather.
So it's not the wolf that chooses the hunting ground...but the hunter.
And I'm sure your grandfather taught you that.
Except in this case, I'm the game.
However, today what we're going to do is lure the wolf out of his lair.
To where we want him to be.
You're the one whose life is valuable, you go first.
No. We take it in turns. Next time it's your turn to go first.
Then it's you, Volodya.
Son of a bitch!
These are new pants. I just took them off a captain from the 251st yesterday.
16 months I spent in Germany at the school in Sussen.
Of course those were the days when we were friends with the Krauts.
When our Joseph and their Adolf were walking hand in hand.
Near to the wire, 116 metres, right?
- 155. - Whatever.
That'll make them send out a repair guy.
Let's relocate.
After the Germans invaded us, it wasn't the same atmosphere anymore.
They threw me in prison.
"What were you doing in Germany?"
"Excuse me", says l, "but it was comrade Stalin who sent me there."
"Don't bring our glorious leader into your treachery.
"Confess, spy bastard, confess."
There wasn't a sickle but there was a hammer.
And "bang", it knocked out all, my teeth.
That's right. Have no illusions.
That's the land of socialism and universal bliss for you.
Hey, it's your repair guy.
I got him.
- It's about soup time, isn't it? - I'm going.
Well, get a move on, Volodya.
And try not to spill it on your way back, you Marxist bastard.
Here's the enemy sniper activity reported during the past 24 hours.
Two sentries shot in the train station.
One artillery observer in the northern sector.
One lieutenant from the 24th Panzer Division.
Three telephone repair men in the workers' housing sector.
They also tell me we've just taken a prisoner.
- I hope he's still able to speak. - Excuse me, sir?
Nothing.
So tell us, Volodya.
Which building is he in?
There is no way I know that.
He moves around all the time. He jumps...from one to the next.
- On which floor? - I don't know.
We'll see about that.
Undress him. Put him in one of our uniforms.
See? They're stubborn.
That's the good thing about the Germans.
You got to admit, when they get an idea in their heads...
Let's see if our customer has arrived.
You ready?
And now, our famous shepherd from the Urals,
who Major Konig thinks is an idiot, gets up to make sure he has hit his target.
Major Konig sees him...
...aims for his helmet,
fires, reveals his position,
and is shot in turn.
Except...Major Konig doesn't fire...
...because Major Konig isn't there.
Don't you think that was strange? That last one?
They sent him out to get shot like the others.
It's not natural. Not without artillery, without trying to cover him.
No, I was the one who was stupid.
They don't give a shit about telephone guys.
It's like us with the Ukrainians.
They'd never bother a major over a few dead soldiers.
Tomorrow...we'll kill us some generals.
Whose turn is it?
Mine, I think.
You're such a cheater.
You can't fool Papa Koulikov, oh no. It's my turn to go first.
And it's your turn to get a hole in your breeches.
To victory.
This sniper business has been dragging on too long.
What's that little fella of yours up to?
He's probing, comrade Kruschev, testing the Germans for weaknesses.
He's meticulous in his preparation.
Vodka...is a luxury we have.
Caviar is a luxury we have.
Time is not.
He's aware of that, we both are.
- I assure you he will succeed. - Good...
It seems your destinies are entwined.