Citizen X

A body is discovered during the 1982 harvest on a collective farm. A subsequent search of adjacent woods turns up seven more bodies in varying stages of decomposition. The discovery marks the start of a long, chilling serial killer investigation.

Viktor Burakov leads the initial investigation and is promoted to detective as the case expands. He begins coordinating the search and formalizing the effort, with Colonel Fetisov later providing critical support. The investigation gains momentum but is hampered by state bureaucracy.

The film depicts how propaganda and bureaucracy limit public reporting of the killer's crimes. Local politicians fear the USSR's image would suffer from revealing a serial killer. Investigations chafe under political considerations that delay progress.

Chikatilo is spotted at a railway station and found with a satchel containing a knife. He is arrested but shielded from investigation due to his Communist Party membership. Blood-type analysis at the crime lab initially misleads investigators.

Despite the evidence, Chikatilo is shielded and released because of his party membership. The decision demonstrates the influence of political protection over police work. The killer remains at large as the case stagnates.

With glasnost and perestroika, the investigation gains traction and public accountability increases. Blood-type reports are reevaluated, enabling the case to move forward. The political climate becomes conducive to catching the killer.

Burakov devises a plan to blanket almost all railroad stations with conspicuous uniformed men to deter the killer from striking. Three small stations are left unattended, protected only by undercover agents. The strategy marks a shift toward proactive, low-profile policing.

Chikatilo is ultimately discovered and identified through the diligence of a local plain-clothes soldier. He is arrested, ending years of elusiveness. The station-based search narrows in on him as the killer.

Chikatilo is interrogated for seven consecutive days by the hardliner Gorbunov who insists on extracting a confession. He refuses to yield until mounting pressure prompts more nuanced approaches. The tense sessions drive the investigation toward a breakthrough.

Psychiatrist Bukhanovsky is introduced and presents a long analysis of Chikatilo's psychology, described in depth as 'Citizen X'. His insights strike a nerve and trigger a confession. Following this, Chikatilo reveals details about the murders and helps locate crime scenes.

After his confession, Chikatilo leads investigators to the crime scenes and to three previously undetected graves. This new information closes many cases and provides crucial evidence for prosecutors. The revelations accelerate the path to justice.

Chikatilo is tried in a metal cage and convicted, sentenced to death. He is led to a nameless prison chamber where a pistol shot ends his life. The sentencing marks a grim closing chapter to a decade-long pursuit.