Yuri Bondarev

This epic covers all major victories of the Soviet Army in WWII, including the Stalingrad Battle and the Battle of Berlin, the assault on the Reichstag, and erecting the Red Banner over its ruins. This film has huge battle scenes, with thousands of extras, and was extremely expensive to shoot. (allmovie.com)

In November, 1942, near the Volga, Stanlingrad is under siege of Commander Friederich Paulus and his 330,000 men. The Russian high command unleashes an operation to protect the Mishkova River to avoid that about four hundred tanks join Paulus' army. The Soviet artillery soldiers protect their position with their lives in a bloodshed with few survivors. (imdb)

The "Fiery Arc" tells of a grandiose battle on the Kursk Bulge in the summer of 1943. Here was the largest tank battle in the history of World War II. Along with the personal fate of the heroes, the film shows battle scenes, the activities of headquarters and intelligence, those who worked at the front and in the rear. (imdb)

The liberation of Oryol and Belgorod takes place, as well as the abandonment of Kharkov by the Germans. Ahead is the crossing of the Dnepr. The real fact of creating a false bridgehead on the right bank of the Dnepr in order to pull back large forces of the Germans on it. The bridgehead was completely surrounded, and most of its defenders perished. Only a few managed to break through the encirclement and reach the main crossing of the Soviet troops. (imdb)

Depicts the various stages of Operation Bagration during the summer of 1944. (imdb)

Stalin orders to hasten the Vistula-Oder offensive in order to relieve the Allies. Karl Wolff is sent to negotiate with the Americans. Zhukov rejects Stavka's order to take Berlin, the Soviets and the Poles storm the Tiergarten. (imdb)

In Berlin, Lieutenant Yartsev's infantry and Tzvetaev's battery fight their way in the U-Bahn. Captain Neustroev's company is selected to hoist the Victory Banner atop the Reichstag. (imdb)