It's 1943, during World War II, and the long winter is about to begin in the occupied Soviet Union. István Semetka is part of a Hungarian special forces unit tasked with searching house by house for partisans. One day, while marching to an isolated village, the unit comes under enemy fire. The commander is killed, and as the most senior officer, Semetka must take over. Crossing a swamp, he leads the survivors to an occupied village, where they reunite with their detachment.