1. The Cranes Are Flying - Летят журавли (1957)
'The Cranes Are Flying' (Russian: Летят журавли) is a Soviet film released in 1957 that won the prestigious Palme d'Or at the 1958 Cannes Film Festival. Directed by Mikhail Kalatozov, it was also aired on VTV in the 1980s.
The movie revolves around a Soviet family led by Dr. Fyodor Ivanovich, who lives with his son Boris, daughter Irina, mother, and grandson Mark. The story focuses on Boris’s girlfriend, Veronica, and the struggles she faces during the war. Boris, driven by patriotism, volunteers to fight against the invading forces. Veronica is heartbroken as Boris dies in battle, though the family is told he went missing, not knowing he had fallen. The plot unfolds from here—watch the film to discover what happens next.
- IMDb Rating: 7.8/10
- Release Date: March 30, 1970
- Genre: Action, Adventure
- Duration: 85 minutes
- Country: Russia
- Director: Vladimir Motyl
- Main Cast: Anatoly Kuznetsov, Pavel Luspekaev
- Awards: Soviet State Award


2. Sniper – Battle for Sevastopol (2015)
One of the top Russian war films is 'Sniper'. It tells the remarkable story of Lyudmila Pavlichenko, a young woman who joins the Soviet Red Army and becomes one of the most lethal snipers of World War II.
In 1941, Lyudmila, a new university student, celebrates by going target shooting with friends. Her sharp skills catch the attention of the Red Army, and she is enlisted. She is paired with the seasoned sniper Makarov, and they fall in love, though he does not return her feelings. During the battle of Odessa, she is wounded and Makarov carries her to safety, but he dies in combat.
Returning to the battlefield in Sevastopol, Lyudmila is partnered with another sniper, Leonid. As she racks up kills, the two begin a romance, but Leonid is killed in an ambush, leaving Lyudmila pregnant with his child, unaware to both of them.
- Release Date: April 2015 (China)
- Director: Sergey Mokritskiy
- Cinematography: Yuriy Korol
- Country: Ukraine - Russia
- Producers: Natalya Mokritskaya, Egor Olesov


3. 28 Defenders – Panfilov’s 28 Men (2016)
This legendary Russian war film tells the incredible story of a group of 28 soldiers who stopped and destroyed Nazi tanks advancing towards Moscow. In late November 1941, under the command of General Ivan Panfilov, 28 soldiers from the 316th Rifle Division of the Red Army held off 54 German tanks on their way to Moscow.
Despite being armed with weapons that were nearly useless against tanks, such as the Mosin-Nagant rifles, DP machine guns, PM-M1910 pistols, RPG-40 anti-tank grenades, and the substandard PTRD-41 anti-tank rifle, these 28 brave men fought relentlessly, unyielding in their defense of Moscow and their country.
- Director: Kim Druzhinin, Andrey Shalopa
- Screenplay: Andrey Shalopa
- Country: Russia
- Release Date: 24/11/2016


4. The Fight Against Terrorism – The Balkan Line
The Fight Against Terrorism follows the efforts of Russian intelligence agents trying to rescue the Slatina airport from a dangerous group of terrorists led by the warlord Smuk (Aleksandar Srećković). The film begins in 1999, amidst the chaos of Persian lands being overrun by Smuk’s forces.
The Russian operatives are assigned the critical mission to take back the airport. Officer AslanBek Evkhoev (Gosha Kutsenko) and former paratrooper Andrey Shatalov (Anton Pampushnyy) devise a plan to reclaim Slatina and protect the civilians there until Bosnian military forces can arrive. Will their plan succeed? Watch to find out!
- Genres: Action, War
- Release Year: 2019
- Runtime: 130 minutes
- Director: Andrey Volgin
- Cast: Anton Pampushnyy, Gosha Kutsenko, Miloš Biković
- IMDb Rating: 6.5/10


5. They Fought for Their Country
They Fought for Their Country is an action-packed film that revisits the turbulent years of World War II in Russia. The story follows a Soviet infantry regiment striving to defeat the powerful Nazi army, heavily armed with modern weapons.
The regiment faces immense losses and hardships, forcing them to retreat back to Russia. Along the way, they showcase their undying patriotism, despite being misunderstood by the public, who wrongly think they abandoned their country. The film highlights the comradeship and bravery of Soviet soldiers, who overcome fear to protect their homeland.
- IMDb Rating: 8.0/10
- Release Date: 12/05/1975
- Genres: Action, War
- Runtime: 157 minutes
- Country: Russia
- Director: Sergey Fyodorovich Bondarchuk
- Starring: Vasily Shukshin, Sergey Fyodorovich Bondarchuk, Yury Vladimirovich Nikulin
- Awards: Karlovy Vary International Film Festival Award


6. The Dawns Here Are Quiet
The Dawns Here Are Quiet (2015), based on the famous novel by Soviet writer Boris Vasilyev, depicts the Soviet people's heroic struggle to defend their homeland in the spring of 1942.
The story follows Sergeant Vaskov and a group of courageous female soldiers who fight fiercely against the invading Nazi forces. Despite facing overwhelming odds, including 16 heavily armed German soldiers, these brave women push forward to protect their country, showing immense sacrifice and determination in the face of danger.
- IMDb Rating: 8.2/10
- Release Date: 04/11/1972
- Genres: Drama, Action, War
- Runtime: 188 minutes
- Country: Russia
- Director: Stanislav Rostotsky
- Starring: Andrey Martynov, Olga Ostroumova
- Awards: First Prize at the All-Union Film Festival

