Days of Glory

In the snowy Russian countryside, Vladimir leads a small group of partisan fighters hidden from German patrols. They struggle to stay hidden while carrying out reconnaissance, raids, and defense. The brutal winter and constant danger set the tone for their precarious war.

Nina, a ballerina separated from her troupe, is brought to the hideout. She confesses she has never fired a gun and lacks basic survival skills like cooking, mending, or cleaning. Vladimir doubts she will be useful, and the group watches her with wary skepticism.

A German soldier stumbles upon the lair and is captured by the partisans. That night, he attempts to escape, but Nina shoots him, earning the group’s reluctant approval of her inclusion.

The guerrillas carry out a sabotage of a German munitions train as an initiation for Nina. The operation is dangerous, but the team succeeds, disrupting enemy supply lines.

The sabotage is a success, and the train is crippled, boosting the squad’s morale. Nina begins to prove her usefulness, though her growing closeness to Vladimir clashes with others’ perceptions of his ruthlessness.

Before the next fighting, Vladimir explains his ruthlessness through a personal anecdote: as an engineer, he destroyed the very electric power plant he helped build to deny it to the enemy. The confession reveals the harsh pragmatism guiding his leadership.

Nina and Vladimir’s romance grows, but the budding affection threatens the squad’s stability. Trust becomes a fragile currency as strategic decisions must be made under pressure.

Vladimir decides a woman courier would be less likely to be caught while delivering information on Nazi troop strength. He selects Yelena, the veteran and only other woman in the group besides Nina.

Nina volunteers to take Yelena’s place as courier, and Vladimir agrees, sending the teenage boy Mitya along with her. The substitution increases the odds of getting the message through safely.

Nina and Mitya reach Soviet headquarters to deliver Vladimir’s information. They receive a coded reply—'The snow will fall tomorrow'—signaling a massive counterattack planned for the next day.

Vladimir is put in charge of a merged partisan operation as multiple bands coordinate for a larger strike. The plan hinges on the directive suggested by the coded message and the attackers’ readiness.

Before the fighting begins, Vladimir orders Nina to take Mitya’s younger sister Olga to safety. The mission adds a personal safeguard amidst the dangerous prelude to battle.

The fighters go into action and fight bravely, but the squad members are killed one by one. Nina endures the onslaught and remains determined as the defense collapses around them.

Nina returns to Vladimir as the nest comes under heavy attack, and he administers the partisan oath of allegiance. The moment seals her commitment and marks a turning point in her dedication to the cause.

A German tank finally rolls onto the position, toppled by the wreckage of their machine-gun nest. The explosion ends the siege and forces a grim reckoning for the survivors.