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Characters & Themes

Cyborgs (2017) Characters, Setting & Themes Explained

Release, runtime and language
2017 · 112 mins · Ukrainian
Echo score 81
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Directed by
Akhtem Seitablaiev
Starring
Roman Semysal, Oleksandr Piskunov, Andrii Isaienko, Viacheslav Dovzhenko, Viktor Zhdanov, Makar Tykhomyrov
Budget
$1.7M

The film recounts the intense battle for Donetsk Airport in 2014 during the Russian invasion of Ukraine. It portrays the struggle of Ukrainian soldiers and volunteer fighters from various units who bravely defended the airport for 242 days against Russian-backed militants, ultimately leading to the terminal's destruction. The story explores themes of courage and resilience in the face of overwhelming odds.

On this page (7)
  1. 1 Where to watch
  2. 2 Characters explained (12)
  3. 3 Where & when it takes place
  4. 4 Themes & meaning (4)
  5. 5 Character & meaning questions
  6. 6 Movie threads
  7. 7 Every angle
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12 main characters · contains spoilers

Cyborgs Characters Explained: Who Is Who

The main characters of Cyborgs (2017), heroes and villains: what drives them, how they change over the course of the story and what each of them reveals about the film's bigger ideas.

  • Kombat Redut (Roman Semysal)

    A seasoned frontline fighter within the squad who provides steady presence amid chaos. He contributes to the unit's discipline and readiness, staying focused on practical tasks and Ieadership in the heat of battle. His reliability helps anchor the group as they navigate the ruined airport and its moral ambiguities.

    • 🪖 Veteran
    • 💪 Resilience
    • 🤝 Loyalty
  • Mars (Oleksandr Piskunov)

    A hot-headed yet principled soldier who carries a burning hatred for the invaders and seeks vengeance for a fallen friend. His resolve drives aggressive moves on the battlefield, but his anger also tests his limits and conscience. He endures a heart attack later, illustrating the physical and emotional toll of the conflict.

    • 🔥 Bravery
    • 💢 Anger
    • 💔 Loss
  • Subota (Andrii Isaienko)

    A soldier who grounds the squad with a sense of oath and duty. He values honor and solidarity among comrades and shares lighter moments, such as pilfering vodka from the duty-free area, to keep morale up. He embodies a practical, steadfast demeanor amidst the chaos.

    • 🎖️ Duty
    • 🧭 Ethics
    • 🤝 Camaraderie
  • Serpen (Viacheslav Dovzhenko)

    A capable squad leader who pushes the unit to act and questions strategic choices. His decisions and confrontations with Mazhor reveal a tension between different generations and leadership styles. He is fatally shot by a sniper while attempting to communicate with his family, marking a pivotal moment for the group.

    • 🗡️ Leadership
    • 💬 Debate
    • 💔 Loss
  • Staryi (Starui) (Viktor Zhdanov)

    An older, reflective soldier who articulates the doublespeak surrounding the war and emphasizes duty to kin and country. He volunteered when his son did, highlighting personal sacrifice and the weight of family ties in the conflict.

    • 🧭 Wisdom
    • 🗨️ Dialogue
    • 👨‍👦 Family
  • Mazhor (Makar Tykhomyrov)

    A younger, idealistic member who clashes with Serpen over orders and justice. He challenges conventional wisdom and voices a different path through the crisis, illustrating the generational and ideological rifts within the group. He remains with the unit after a tense confrontation.

    • ⚖️ Morality
    • 🧭 Ideology
    • 🧱 Rebellion
  • Psykh (Kostiantyn Temliak)

    A squad member who participates in the operation and contributes to the unit's cohesion under fire. His presence helps demonstrate the group’s collective resilience and teamwork in the airport’s turmoil.

    • 🪖 Soldier
    • 🧷 Discipline
    • 🤝 Teamwork
  • Guide (Roman Yasinovskyi)

    A member of the squad who assists in navigating the dangerous environment and maintaining group cohesion. He participates in planning and execution of the squad’s defense as the situation evolves.

    • 🗺️ Navigator
    • 🧭 Guidance
    • 🪖 Soldier
  • Hid (Natalia Moseychuk)

    A combatant who becomes highly agitated upon recognizing a prisoner and insists on keeping the man off the record. Hid acts on a personal sense of vengeance for past torture experienced in the war, illustrating how trauma can propel revenge among soldiers.

    • 🧠 Trauma
    • 🪖 Combatant
    • 💢 Anger
  • Boyets 4 (Oleh Scherbyna)

    A squad member who participates in the ongoing operations and contributes to the unit’s resilience under pressure. He adds to the group's dynamics as they manage threats and evacuations.

    • 🪖 Soldier
    • 🧰 Teamwork
    • 🗺️ Fieldcraft
  • Separ Chornyy (Yurii Kulinich)

    A member of the squad who contributes to the crowd of frontline defenders. His presence helps illustrate the diverse makeup of the unit and its shared commitment.

    • 🛡️ Guard
    • 🗣️ Communication
    • 💪 Resilience
  • Dozornyy Sentinel (Oleksandr Laptii)

    A vigilant sentinel within the squad, focused on protection and watching for threats. He embodies the watchfulness that accompanies long, tense standoffs at the airport.

    • 🛡️ Sentinel
    • 🧭 Duty
    • 🪖 Soldier

Last updated: October 04, 2025 at 07:55

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Setting

Where and When Does Cyborgs Take Place?

The setting of Cyborgs (2017): the year and time period, the places and locations, and how they shape the characters, the mood and the tension of the story.

Time period

Location

Pisky, Donetsk Airport, Ukraine

The action centers on the ruined Donetsk airport complex in Pisky, where the terminal and surrounding facilities become a makeshift fortress under artillery fire. The environment is cluttered with damaged infrastructure, smoke, and improvised defenses, turning every corridor into a potential danger zone. This setting amplifies the soldiers' camaraderie, fear, and resolve as they endure repetitive bombardments and tense standoffs.

  • 🏞️ War-torn site
  • 🪖 Frontline base
  • 🗺️ Ukraine

Last updated: October 04, 2025 at 07:55

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4 major themes

Cyborgs Meaning: Themes & Message Explained

What is Cyborgs (2017) really about? The emotional, social and philosophical themes the film keeps returning to, its symbolism and the message beneath the surface.

  • War

    Frontline combat dominates the narrative, pulling characters into rapid, brutal decisions under fire. The soldiers balance fear, duty, and loyalty as they withstand a volatile ceasefire and sudden assaults. The constant danger exposes courage, fatigue, and the fragility of life in close-quarters battle.

  • Duty & Honor

    The squad operates under codes of oath and duty that are tested by disobedience and ideological clashes. Mazhor and Serpen embody competing views on discipline, strategy, and what it means to stay and fight. The characters continually weigh personal beliefs against collective responsibilities in a pressure-cooker environment.

  • Generational Divide

    The film foregrounds tensions between generations, notably in debates over history, values, and the war’s meaning. Serpen represents a younger leadership perspective while Mazhor voices a more confrontational, perhaps cynically pragmatic stance. Their clash drives much of the moral conversation and character dynamics.

  • Trauma & Revenge

    Personal wounds and past tortures surface as motives for action, including revenge against foes and a desire to avenge loved ones. The narrative links violent impulses to the emotional toll of war, showing how trauma shapes choices and ethical lines. The prisoners, killings, and near-certain losses compound the characters' inner anguish.

Last updated: October 04, 2025 at 07:55

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Character & theme questions

Cyborgs Characters & Meaning: Your Questions Answered

The questions people ask about Cyborgs (2017): who the characters really are, their relationships, what the symbols mean, where it takes place and what the movie is really about. Each answer contains spoilers.

Q1

Where is the movie set?

The film is set at the Donetsk Airport in Pisky, a war-torn location in eastern Ukraine. The ruined airport complex serves as the primary setting, with its damaged terminal and facilities transformed into a makeshift fortress under constant artillery fire.

  • donetsk airport
  • pisky
  • ukraine
  • setting
  • airport
Q2

When does the story take place?

The film is set in 2014 during the Russian invasion of Ukraine. It depicts the real historical battle for Donetsk Airport, which lasted for 242 days against Russian-backed militants.

  • 2014
  • russian invasion
  • ukraine war
  • time period
  • donetsk airport battle
Q3

What are the main themes explored?

The movie explores several interconnected themes: the brutal reality of war and combat, duty and honor tested by moral conflicts, generational divides in leadership perspectives, and how trauma and the desire for revenge shape soldiers' choices and emotions.

  • themes
  • war
  • duty
  • honor
  • trauma
  • revenge
  • generational divide
Q4

Who are the key characters?

The main characters include Serpen (a squad leader representing younger leadership), Mazhor (an idealistic soldier who challenges orders), Staryi (an older volunteer soldier who entered the war alongside his son), Mars (a vengeful soldier driven by hatred for invaders), and Kombat Redut (a seasoned fighter who provides stability). Other key figures include Subota, Psykh, Guide, and Hid.

  • serpen
  • mazhor
  • staryi
  • mars
  • kombat redut
  • characters
  • soldiers
Q5

What is the movie about thematically?

Cyborgs is about the resilience and courage of Ukrainian soldiers and volunteer fighters defending Donetsk Airport against overwhelming odds. The film examines how ordinary people respond to extreme danger, the moral costs of war, and the bonds formed through shared hardship in a prolonged siege.

  • ukrainian soldiers
  • defense
  • siege
  • resilience
  • courage
  • volunteer fighters
Q6

Who is Mazhor in the film?

Mazhor is a younger, idealistic soldier portrayed by Makar Tykhomyrov. He clashes with Serpen over orders and questions conventional wisdom, representing a different perspective on how to handle the crisis. His presence highlights the generational and ideological tensions within the unit.

  • mazhor
  • makar tykhomyrov
  • young soldier
  • idealist
Q7

Who is Serpen in the film?

Serpen, played by Viacheslav Dovzhenko, is a capable squad leader who pushes the unit to act and questions strategic choices. He represents a younger leadership perspective and is central to the film's exploration of generational divides. He is fatally shot by a sniper while attempting to communicate with his family.

  • serpen
  • viacheslav dovzhenko
  • squad leader
  • younger generation
Q8

How is the generational divide portrayed?

The film shows tensions between generations through debates between Serpen, who represents younger leadership, and older soldiers like Mazhor. These disagreements cover history, values, and the war's meaning, driving much of the moral conversation and character dynamics within the confined space of the airport.

  • generational conflict
  • leadership
  • serpen
  • mazhor
  • different perspectives
Q9

How is trauma portrayed in the film?

Trauma plays a significant role as personal wounds and past tortures surface as motives for action. Characters like Hid become agitated when recognizing prisoners, acting on a personal sense of vengeance for past torture. The film links violent impulses to the emotional toll of war, showing how trauma shapes choices and ethical lines.

  • trauma
  • revenge
  • war trauma
  • torture
  • emotional toll
Q10

Who is Staryi in the story?

Staryi, played by Viktor Zhdanov, is an older reflective soldier who articulates the doublespeak surrounding the war and emphasizes duty to family and country. Notably, he volunteered when his son did, highlighting the personal sacrifice and weight of family ties in the conflict.

  • staryi
  • viktor zhdanov
  • older soldier
  • family sacrifice
  • father son
Q11

What was the significance of Donetsk Airport in the conflict?

Donetsk Airport became a strategic stronghold and symbol of resistance during the 2014 Russian invasion of Ukraine. The 242-day defense by Ukrainian forces turned the terminal into a makeshift fortress, making it a focal point of the conflict in eastern Ukraine before its eventual destruction.

  • donetsk airport
  • 242 days
  • siege
  • strategic importance
  • airport terminal
Q12

Who is Mars in the film?

Mars, portrayed by Oleksandr Piskunov, is a hot-headed yet principled soldier driven by burning hatred for the invaders and a desire to vengeance for a fallen friend. His aggressive resolve on the battlefield tests his limits and conscience. He later suffers a heart attack, illustrating the physical and emotional toll of combat.

  • mars
  • oleksandr piskunov
  • revenge
  • aggressive
  • vengeful soldier

Movie threads

More Movies Like Cyborgs, by Mood & Story

Curated lists built around what makes Cyborgs tick: the same mood, the same kind of story or the same emotional payoff. Each list explains why these movies belong together.

Movies like Cyborgs: Claustrophobic Siege Survival

Tense stories of groups trapped and fighting for survival against overwhelming odds. If you were captivated by the tense, confined battle in Cyborgs, explore more movies like it. This selection features intense war dramas and survival stories where characters are trapped in a defensive stand, fighting against overwhelming forces in a claustrophobic environment.

  • claustrophobic
  • tense
  • gritty
  • desperate
  • brutal
  • anxious
  • Tone: tense, gritty, desperate
  • Pacing: steady, relentless
Why these movies?

The story pattern: Narratives in this thread typically involve a group defending a fixed location against a persistent enemy. The plot is driven by the psychological and physical toll of the siege, exploring themes of resilience, sacrifice, and the fraying bonds under extreme duress, often leading to a costly conclusion.

Why they belong together: These movies are grouped together because they share a high-tension, gritty atmosphere centered on the unique pressure of a siege. They deliver a consistent feeling of being trapped and outnumbered, focusing on the brutal reality of attrition warfare and the resilience it demands.

Bittersweet War Stories of Defiance like Cyborgs

War stories where tactical defeat is intertwined with moral victory and enduring spirit. For viewers who appreciated the bittersweet ending and heavy emotional weight of Cyborgs, this list curates similar war movies. Discover stories of courageous resistance where the battle might be lost, but the sacrifice fuels a deeper sense of purpose and resilience.

  • somber
  • resilient
  • reflective
  • gritty
  • heavy
  • bitter
  • Tone: somber, reflective, resilient
  • Pacing: steady, character-driven
Why these movies?

The story pattern: These narratives follow characters who commit to a seemingly hopeless cause. The journey emphasizes the heavy personal sacrifices and the moral clarity found in resistance. The endings are often bittersweet, mourning the losses while honoring the enduring impact of the struggle.

Why they belong together: These films are united by their exploration of courage in the face of certain loss. They balance the brutal reality of war with a reflective, somber tone, resulting in a deeply emotional and bittersweet viewing experience that values resilience and legacy over simple victory.

Every angle

Cyborgs (2017) Explained: Plot, Timeline & Characters

Everything about Cyborgs in one place: what happens in the plot summary, the timeline in chronological order, the characters and meaning and a spoiler-free summary. What's After the Movie adds the cast, box office and post-credit scenes.

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