Afghan Breakdown
Afghan Breakdown Russian , translit.Afganskiy Izlom is a 1990 war drama film about the Soviet war in Afghanistan directed by Vladimir Bortko and coproduced by Italy and the Soviet Union Lenfilm. Michele Placido, an Italian TV star popular in the USSR, plays the protagonist, Major Bandura, a commander of a unit of Soviet paratroopers, costarring with several popular Soviet actors.
The events unfold just before the start of the Soviet withdrawal from Afghanistan in 1988. Lieutenant Steklov, son of a highranking General, is assigned to Afghanistan, hoping to take part in combat and earn some medals before the war ends. Sgt. Arsionov Aleksei Serebryakov combines his combat experience and bravery with brutal hazing of young conscripts back on the field base. Major Banduras tour of duty has expired. He is free to go home and reunite with his wife whom he has almost forgot. This means leaving his mistress Katya Tatyana Dogileva, a nurse in the bases hospitalto a much anticipation from Banduras superior Leonid Mikhail Zhygalov who fell in love with Katya. Anxiety is felt by many characters about the change taking place back in the Soviet Union during the Perestroika. Bandura himself thinks he might not be able to adapt. Katya says that Afghanistan will be remembered as the best part of their lives.The Soviet command arranges a deal with a local Afghan warlord that he wont take action against the withdrawing Soviet troops in exchange for weapons and supplies. When asked why he needs more weapons as the war seems to be coming to an end, he replies that his war will go on for a very long time. On its way back to base the convoy that has delivered the supplies is ambushed by another faction of the mujahedin. The paratroopers take cover and fight back with only a few casualties, but the road is blocked by a damaged fuel tanker. While Bandura personally drives a tank to push the tanker off the road, inexperienced Steklov dashes forward attempting to lead troops to counterattack and is badly wounded. Later, his leg is amputated at the hospital, which adds to the stack of Banduras career problems. Bandura decides to stay with his men for a while and lead a retaliatory mission to finish a mujahedin leader, who is presumed wounded and taken to the neutral warlords village. When the preparations are finished, Bandura comes to say good bye to Katya, who is sch
Source: Wikipedia
