Panfilov's 28 Men

A small unit of Soviet riflemen from the Panfilov Division digs in against a much larger German tank force during the defense of Moscow, holding a critical position at great cost. The film dramatizes the legendary, heavily mythologized last stand near Dubosekovo.

The '28 Panfilov Guardsmen' story became a celebrated piece of Soviet wartime propaganda depicting a heroic anti-tank stand near Moscow in November 1941, though postwar archival research found the specific number and details of the episode were largely fabricated by a wartime journalist.

Russian state archives concluded the specific '28 men' narrative was substantially embellished propaganda; the film presents the legend largely at face value rather than the historiographical controversy.

The largest invasion in military history opened a front that would consume the majority of German ground strength for the rest of the war.

Brest Fortress resisted for weeks behind the front line. Leningrad was encircled in September, beginning a siege of nearly 900 days. The advance on Moscow stalled in the mud and frost and was thrown back by a Soviet counter-offensive in December.

Directed by Kim Druzhinin / Andrei Shalopa

Cast: Alexander Ustyugov, Yakov Kucherevsky, Azamat Nigmanov

Positioned at 16 November 1941 within the Battle of Moscow phase of the war, as part of the Battle of Moscow. This is entry 47 of 150 in the chronological archive.

• Battle of Moscow
• Panfilov Division
• anti-tank
• Soviet propaganda legend
• Eastern Front

• 

  Attack on Leningrad

  September 1941 – early 1942

• 

  Defiance

  1941–1944

• 

  Brest Fortress

  22 June – 23 July 1941

• 

  The Unknown Soldier

  June 1941 – September 1944

• 

  The Dawns Here Are Quiet

  Spring 1942

• 

  Stalingrad

  August 1942 – February 1943