This image of a grunt digging in at Khost is from a movie called Deviata Rota (The 9th Company), a film about Russian soldiers in Afghanistan. It’s set in either 1987 or 1989 depending on which trailer, review or version you read or watch, although the fight on which it is apparently based* (the Battle for Hill 3234) occurred in January of 1988. Despite all the traditional tropes typical of any war movie (and in spite of the Russian dialogue), it’s actually a great movie to watch — albeit a somber one. Much of what you’ll see will be familiar to Afghanistan vets depending on where they served, and much of the character interaction will be familiar no matter where or when you served. Take a look at the briefing they get on the Islam and Afghanistan about forty minutes in, and the time they spend on the range just a few minutes after that, or the young grunt’s experience with their S4. Although it’s damn near an hour and a half into the movie before the troops have a big contact, there’s nothing boring about it.

You’ll hear jaded Russki soldiers talking about the Afghan army. It will sound familiar to some of you reading this. 

“The Afghan army. Our fucking allies. Nothing worse than working with them. As soon as they smell danger, they’re gone like the wind. You think your flank’s covered, but they’re already three miles behind you. Thanks to those fuckers we got surrounded…”

A scene from “The 9th Company” about Russian grunts at Khost in the 1980s.

Or discussing the mujahideen —

“Where’s Mujahideenland?”

“Just past that checkpoint…They’re they are. Shuravi. They’re your friends and brothers. Then come nightfall they’ll dig up their guns and Allah Akbar off with your head.”

Here’s the trailer. Apparently, trailers in Russia inaccurately portray movie contents as often as they do in the US.

There are of course many mandatory inaccuracies in the film, but it’s worth watching. If you’re interested in learning more, research the 345th Independent Guards Airborne Regiment, the Battle for Hill 3234, and Operation Magistral.

*Some scholars, who note the film was approved by Russian President Putin and point out the contrast of patriotism and cynicism of this movie vs. such films as Platoon and Full Metal Jacket, allege the movie was based on the Battle for Hill 776. This latter fight, involving the 6th Company of the 76th Guards Parachute Division, occurred near the town of Ulus-Kert in Chechnya in 2000.

Here, watch the whole damn movie.

Magpul mags: get one or buy ’em in a damn ten-pack!

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