The Ascent

Sotnikov and Rybak enter a Belarusian village in search of food. They steal a farm animal from the collaborationist headman and head back toward their unit. A German patrol spots them, triggering a protracted gunfight in the snow before the partisans manage to flee, leaving Sotnikov with a leg wound.

The two are chased across a snow-covered field by German forces. After a heavy exchange of fire, they break off the pursuit and retreat to survive. The escape leaves Sotnikov injured and dependent on shelter for healing.

Rybak carries the wounded Sotnikov to Demchikha's house, where she and her family offer aid. She hides them and provides fragile safety, though the risk from discovery remains high. Their presence is soon detected, endangering everyone.

Sotnikov, Rybak, Demchikha, and the others are captured and hauled to the German headquarters. They are imprisoned in a cellar, where the danger of interrogation and reprisal hangs over them. The sense of imminent threat intensifies as the occupiers assess their fate.

Portnov, the local collaborator and head of the Belarusian Auxiliary Police, interrogates Sotnikov first. Sotnikov refuses to answer and endures brutal torture, giving up no information. The scene underscores the brutal coercion used to extract cooperation.

Rybak watches the torture and tries to speak in a way that might save himself, telling Portnov as much as he thinks the police already know. He hopes to buy time and perhaps survive to escape later. The exchange heightens the moral tension between self-preservation and loyalty.

Portnov offers Rybak the job of policeman, presenting a grim chance to survive by collaborating with the occupiers. Rybak hesitates, torn between fear and the prospect of living. Accepting the offer marks a devastating turning point for his fate.

Sotnikov, Rybak, Demchikha, the headman, and Basya are imprisoned together in the same cellar for the night. The cramped confinement sharpens everyone’s fear and distrust. Tensions rise as each character confronts their own choices and responsibilities.

The next morning, Sotnikov demands to speak with Portnov, but is brushed off. He resolves to shoulder all responsibility to absolve the others, hoping to shield them from punishment. His vow deepens the moral stakes as the situation inches toward tragedy.

Following Sotnikov's stance, Rybak begs to join the police and Portnov permits the move. This acceptance cements his alignment with the occupiers and shifts the balance of power within the group. The decision seals a grim path for everyone involved.

Demchikha tries to reveal who was hiding Basya, but her effort comes to nothing. Basya's hiding place remains undisclosed, keeping the truth locked away under the pressure of occupation. The moment underscores how secrets shape the consequences for all prisoners.

Sotnikov and the others are led away and hanged in the HQ yard. The execution brutally demonstrates the fatal cost of resistance and the crushing power of the occupiers. Their deaths end their immediate ordeal and echo through the village.

Rybak returns to the camp only to be vilified by the villagers, who condemn his collaboration. The social punishment mirrors the harsh moral judgments of wartime communities. The rejection deepens his isolation and guilt.

In despair, Rybak attempts to hang himself in the outhouse with a belt, but the attempt fails. A fellow policeman interrupts and reports that the commander wants him, leaving him alone in the courtyard. He stares at the open door and begins to laugh and weep, a final, conflicted emotional blowback from the ordeal.