Two comrades and soldiers of the Red Army, Andrei Nekrasov (Oleg Yankovsky) and Ivan Karyakin (Rolan Bykov) were sent by their regimental commander (Anatoli Papanov) on a reconnaissance mission to film the White Army fortifications on the way into Crimea (Isthmus of Perekop). After filming, the engine on their airplane stalled and they were forced to land in unfriendly territory.