Aged only 20 the young Russian officer Grigori Anokhin escapes from the military hospital to go back to the front. But it is his task to lead a group of German war prisoners into the northern taiga where they should build a radar tower fot the allied flying squadrons. Anokhin feels only hatred towards the Germans.
After a long walk they reach the village Polumgla, in which there are only women, elder or crippled people left as the men are all in the war. At first the villagers do not offer accomadation or help, but as time goes by and food is rare the Germany substitute the Russian men and enemies begin to be human beings again.