The regiment continues on to its set goal, while Praporshchik (Soviet Warrant Officer) Volentir (played by Mihai Volontir) is left behind to take care of the injured woman.

Once police forces arrive to the scene of crime, Volentir hurries to the house of his relative, a forest warden, whom he plans to borrow a motorcycle from in order to catch up with the rest of the group.

The group reunites with Volentir and reaches its designated target, which turns out to be a fake underground facility built merely to deceive — and the pursuers are closing in rapidly.

Tarasov, an inexperienced young graduate of the Ryazan Airborne Military Command School, is downheartneed, feeling that the opposing force has outwitted them and that his group has failed its mission.

Tarasov heeds the advice and leads the group to follow the telephone wire, while Volentir stays behind at the fake bunker to distract, and thus delay, the pursuers.

[citation needed] The main characters do not wear the standard camouflage gear of the Russian Airborne Troops, but outfits custom made in the sewing workshop of the Mosfilm studio.

The State Political Directorate issued a note prohibiting "a movie glorifying a power of our army, because it will play into the hands of the enemies of international détente".