Young cadet Alexei Trofimov is assigned to a remote Central Asian garrison, where he arrives with his wife, Lyuba.

When World War II erupts, both Alexei and Yegor go to the front, and Lyuba leads a military medical train.

At one stop, Yegor’s beloved Masha leaves their newborn son, Ivan, with Lyuba to join the frontlines as a radio operator.

His grandson Ivan, a Suvorov Military School cadet, is disciplined yet occasionally mischievous, and once lands in trouble for visiting the zoo without permission.

In the film’s final scenes, Ivan, now a paratrooper captain, is promoted to major for exemplary service, while memories of Alexei’s and Varava’s wartime bravery blend with archival footage, symbolizing the enduring legacy of the Trofimov family’s commitment to their country.