Deserter (Dezertir) (1997)

Deserter (Dezertir) DVD Cover Country Russian Moldova Bulgaria Directed by Yuriy Muzyka Release Date 1997 Language Russian Studio PROFilm-company Teleradio-Moldova Zhi-Vi Soyuz Studio Main Cast Character Actor Capt. Igor Skvortsov aka "Skif" Anatoliy Kotenyov Olga Svetlana Borovskaya Habibullah Boris Bystrov Sheikh Vsevolod Gavrilov Habibullah's lieutenant Jonas Arakelu Murab Viktor Demertash

Deserter (Dezertir) is a 1997 Russian-Moldovan-Bulgarian action movie directed by Yuriy Muzyka. In 1986 Soviet Spetsnaz officer Capt. Igor Skvortsov aka "Skif" ("Scythian") serves in Afghanistan. His wife Olga appears from USSR to visit Igor but during the way she is abducted by the brigands, led by Habibullah who is in bad terms with both Soviets and mujaheddins. When Skif gets news about the abduction, and his commander refuses to allow him to perform a rescue mission, Skif goes AWOL. During his adventures in search of Olga, Skif crosses ways with followers of a mysterious ancient cult, also hunting for Habibullah who stole their sacred relics. Skif knows something about the relics, so he and cultists can help each other.

The following weapons were used in the film Deserter (Dezertir) (1997):

Pistols

Makarov PM

Skif (Anatoliy Kotenyov) uses a Makarov PM during the rescue of Olga. In the climactic scene Habibullah (Boris Bystrov) also uses a PM.

Makarov PM - 9x18mm Makarov

Skif loads a PM.

Habibullah fires a PM.

Rifles

Mosin Nagant M1944

Mosin Nagant M1944 Carbines are seen in hands of brigands and cult fighters.

Mosin Nagant M44 Carbine, with attached side-folding bayonet - 7.62x54mm R

A brigand fires his M44 carbine at Skif who climbs a mountain.

Skif (Anatoliy Kotenyov) disarms a guard and uses his rifle to break the shackles.

Skif shoots off the lock of his shackles. The folding bayonet of M44 carbine is seen.

Murab (Viktor Demertash), a cult fighter, fires his M44 carbine in the climactic scene.

Simonov SKS

SKS carbines are used by brigands and cult members in several scenes. Only a single piece that lacks the folding bayonet is seen in a time.

Simonov SKS rifle - 7.62x39mm

Murab (Viktor Demertash) aims his SKS (seen at the right) at Skif.

Another view of Murab's rifle.

Numerous AK-74s, AKS-74s and SKS carbines are stacked in pyramid in Habibullah's camp.

A closeup of the same scene. SKS is at the left.

Dragunov SVD

Dragunov SVD sniper rifles are used by several brigands. A single prop with synthetic furniture, used on 1990s produced SVDs, is reused (it isn't a commercial Tiger version that was produced with military-style flash hider only after 2000).

SVD Dragunov sniper rifle - 7.62x54mm R. The screen gun has synthetic furniture.

A brigand holds an SVD at the foreground.

A closeup.

A closeup of the barrel.

Habibullah's bodyguard fires an SVD in the climactic scene.

Assault Rifles

AK-74

AK-74s, mostly with wooden furniture, are used by Soviet soldiers, Habibullah's men and cult fighters.

AK-74 - 5.45x39mm

Skif (Anatoliy Kotenyov) holds an AK-74 when he finds out that Olga is abducted.

Numerous AK-74s, AKS-74s and SKS carbines are stacked in pyramid in Habibullah's camp.

A closeup of the same scene.

A cult member at the left carries an AK-74 on sling.

AKS-74

AK-74s are also seen in hands of Habibullah's men and cult fighters.

AKS-74 with Bakelite magazine - 5.45x39mm

A brigand unfolds the stock of his AKS-74...

...and fires at Skif who climbs a mountain.

A wounded brigand tries to reach his AKS.

Habibullah's bodyguard holds a AKS at the right in the climactic scene.

Cult fighters hold AKS-74s in the climactic scene.

AKS-74U

Most often seen guns are AKS-74U assault rifles, notably used by Skif (Anatoliy Kotenyov) during the rescue of Olga. They sometimes have the flash hiders removed or replaced with blank firing adapters.

AKS-74U - 5.45x39mm

A pair of Soviet paratrooper soldiers guard the bus.

Habibullah's lieutenant (Jonas Arakelu) holds an AKS-74U.

Skif readies his AKS-74U.

Skif fires his gun in the night scene. The AKS-74U is fitted with blank firing adapter.

A brigand fires an AKS-74U, fitted with blank firing adapter.

Murab (Viktor Demertash) surprises several brigands.

Habibullah's bodyguard holds an AKS-74U in the climactic scene.

Sturmgewehr 44

In the opening scene one of Habibullah's men fires a Sturmgewehr 44.

Sturmgewehr 44 - 7.92x33mm Kurz

A brigand fires StG 44.

Machine Guns and Autocannons

PKM

Skif (Anatoliy Kotenyov) fires a PKM in several scenes. PKMs are also used by Habibullah's men.

PKM with classic (most seen) version of the flash hider - 7.62x54mm R

Skif fires a PKM in the opening scene.

A PKM and RPG-7 are seen in a jeep.

A PKM is seen in Habibullah's field camp.

KPVT

KPVT heavy machine guns are mounted on BTR-80 APCs.

KPVT heavy machine gun - 14.5x114mm

Gryazev-Shipunov GSh-30-2K

Gryazev-Shipunov GSh-30-2K autocannon is mounted on Mi-24P helicopter.

Gryazev-Shipunov GSh-30-2 30mm automatic cannon with unfired rounds - 30x165mm

Skif hijacks a Mi-24P from airfield. A good view of GSh-30-2K autocannon.

Mi-24 takes off.

Other Weapons

RPG-7

RPG-7 rocket launchers are seen in several scenes, notably in hands of Skif (Anatoliy Kotenyov) and Habibullah (Boris Bystrov). They are seen firing on screen.

RPG-7 with PG-7VM rocket and PGO-7 scope - 40mm

Skif fires an RPG-7V in the opening scene.

A rocket grenade in flight to target.

Skif holds discharged RPG.

A brigand fires at Skif's helicopter. Usage of RPG-7s against helicopters is a real practice that lasts from 1980s to modern days.

A PKM and RPG-7 are seen in a jeep.

Habibullah fires an RPG-7 in the climactic scene.

RGD-5

Skif (Anatoliy Kotenyov) uses a pair of RGD-5 hand grenades during the rescue of Olga.

URG-N RGD-5 training grenade

The dark blue color of the body indicates URG-N training version of RGD-5.

NRS-2 Scout Firing Knife

One of the uncommon weapons used by Skif is a NRS-2 Scout Firing Knife, a battle/survival knife with a built-in single-shot shooting mechanism. The movie perfectly shows the process of loading of NRS-2.

NRS-2 Scout Firing Knife with sheath / wirecutter and chamber detached - 7.62x42mm SP-4

A overview of NRS-2 in sheath.

Skif loads NRS-2...

... and puts in in sheath.

Skif fires NRS-2. While SP-3 is a low noise cartridge, in the movie the weapon fires with a sound like PM.

"Hunter's Signal" Flare Device

One more Skif's uncommon weapon is a "Hunter's Signal" (Russian: "Signal okhotnika") flare device. It resembles a pen, fitted with a small rocket. In reality this device is intended for hunting survival kits so that a man who is lost in wilderness could fire a flare for help. In the movie Skif uses the device to fire a flashbang grenade.

Two versions of "Hunter's Signal", steel and plastic

Skif readies the flare device.

Trivia

57mm S-5 rockets are fired from UB-32M launchers.