Cyborgs

Cyborgs

Year: 2017

Runtime: 112 mins

Language: Ukrainian

Director: Akhtem Seitablaiev

Echo Score: 81

Budget: $1.7M

ActionDramaWar

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.

Warning: spoilers below!

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Timeline & Setting – Cyborgs (2017)

Explore the full timeline and setting of Cyborgs (2017). Follow every major event in chronological order and see how the environment shapes the story, characters, and dramatic tension.

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

Main Characters – Cyborgs (2017)

Meet the key characters of Cyborgs (2017), with detailed profiles, motivations, and roles in the plot. Understand their emotional journeys and what they reveal about the film’s deeper themes.

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

Major Themes – Cyborgs (2017)

Explore the central themes of Cyborgs (2017), from psychological, social, and emotional dimensions to philosophical messages. Understand what the film is really saying 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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Movies like Cyborgs: Claustrophobic Siege Survival

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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.

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Narrative Summary

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 These Movies?

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.

Unlock the Full Story of Cyborgs

Don't stop at just watching — explore Cyborgs in full detail. From the complete plot summary and scene-by-scene timeline to character breakdowns, thematic analysis, and a deep dive into the ending — every page helps you truly understand what Cyborgs is all about. Plus, discover what's next after the movie.

Cyborgs Summary

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Cyborgs Summary

Cyborgs Timeline

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Cyborgs Timeline

Cyborgs Spoiler-Free Summary

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Cyborgs Spoiler-Free Summary

More About Cyborgs

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