9th Company AKA 9 Рота

Maytime · 04-06-2010, 01:44

I searched for any mention of this Russian-made film about the Soviet War in Afghanistan, but found none.

BLUF it is a story about the events leading up to a battle on some pile of dirt in Afghanistan as seen from a few of the USSR's bottom-of-the-barrel conscripts. I admit I do not know a whole lot about what the Soviets encountered in Afghanistan, though I feel this film shows how ill-prepared they were compared to, say, US forces today as well as our allies. I had to ask myself, is this what they teach themselves in their history books? They seem to have portrayed the mujaheddin as "ghosts" that were highly feared and were outside of their comprehension as human beings. Of course they mentioned the reference that in human history no force has ever been able to conquer Afghanistan.

Has anybody here seen the film, or has some more background knowledge of the conflict that would be beneficial to the context of the story?

Caveat; I have never been to the aforementioned country, so I cannot speculate on the current political/tactical climate, other than what I have heard from colleagues returning from theater.

Thanks in advance!

Sierra Bravo · 04-06-2010, 09:56

is this the film to which you are referring ?

Maytime · 04-06-2010, 11:36

Roger, that's it.

wh18e · 04-07-2010, 02:47

.

Crue · 04-07-2010, 15:33

I have the movie and will watch it tonight. My wife is Russian and bought it for me awhile ago.

The Afghan war is pretty much ignored in Russian schooling. My wife learned very little about it in school. She does remember the returning veterans getting treated very poorly by the public and the government. She continues to be amazed at the support the United States gives its military (and dependents for that matter).

As a side note, nobody can write a sadder song about war than a Russian:

Afghanistan:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WrlAe77m4yQ

The Great Patriotic War:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=639AA6KYNsw

Crue · 04-08-2010, 08:59

Just finished watching, subtitles never do justice to the Russian art of swearing. Also in the youtube link, they translate Dyalgo's rank as a Lt when the more proper translation would be Warrant Officer.

I did not realize this was based on a true story:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_for_Hill_3234