White Tiger

From the summer 1943 battlefield, Naydenov is rescued after a brutal tank duel. He bears burns over 90% of his body but shows no scarring and is given the name Ivan Naydenov. He returns to duty and discovers he can communicate with tanks as if they were people.

Rumors spread of an invincible Nazi tank called the White Tiger that appears and vanishes in the forest. Naydenov, haunted by his injuries, begins to recall the battle and believes he can hear tanks respond to him. The legend stirs his memories and fuels his certainty the tiger is real.

The Soviets build a more heavily armored T-34/85 with a stronger engine and stabilized gun, intended for accurate firing on the move. A three-man crew is assigned: Naydenov as commander and driver, Kryuk as gunner, and Berdyev as loader. The project marks a shift in the front-line approach to counter the White Tiger.

Naydenov is ordered to lure the White Tiger into an ambush using another T-34 as bait. He hides his own more capable tank in the forest, coordinating the trap with Kryuk and Berdyev. The plan signals a decisive confrontation with the legendary opponent.

When the White Tiger appears, the decoy T-34 is destroyed while Naydenov's ambush tank is struck from behind at close range. The German beast retreats into the forest after the failed strike. The crew survives but is shaken by the encounter.

Naydenov believes a 'Tank God' is guiding him, granting him a sense that his tank can 'hear' danger before it arrives. He seems to understand the combat intuition of his machine and relies on it during battles. Kryuk and the others respond to his growing conviction.

Counterintelligence Major Fedotov begins to support Naydenov, convinced there is more to the phenomenon than superstition. He moves to bolster Naydenov's claims and investigates the White Tiger legend. Their alliance becomes a crucial counterpoint to sceptical generals.

A captured German officer confirms the legend that the White Tiger is part war myth and fear rather than a rational machine. The tale unsettles both sides as it hints at something beyond conventional warfare. The myth begins to shape German morale on the front.

A large Soviet tank force is wiped out by the White Tiger, firing faster and more accurately than a human crew could. Naydenov chases the White Tiger into an abandoned village and engages the beast in a duel. Kryuk disables the Tiger's turret, but its gun jams with mud and the Tiger retreats.

Fedotov tries to persuade the commanding general that the White Tiger and Naydenov are creations of the war itself. The general remains unconvinced and assigns Fedotov a ten-day leave to reflect. The conflict between belief and command grows.

Following the Battle of Berlin and the unconditional surrender, Fedotov tells Naydenov the war is over and to go home. Naydenov remains convinced that the White Tiger must still be destroyed to end the war as a living memory. He refuses to accept the end until the Tiger is gone.

Fedotov returns to his vehicle and looks for Naydenov and his tank but finds they have vanished. The disappearance implies the conflict's inner life persists beyond the official end of hostilities. The White Tiger's looming shadow lingers as a symbol of unfinished business.

The film cuts to Hitler in a large room by the fireplace, defending his actions and predicting a monster-filled future for Europe. He argues war has no real beginning or end and claims violence is humanity's ultimate state. The scene reframes the conflict as a cycle rather than a closed event.

The White Tiger is shown healing from its wounds and waiting to strike again. Naydenov's dying legend persists as a testament to a war that endures beyond official victories. The creature remains a haunting presence as the film closes.