Ski Battalion (Za Sovetskuyu Rodinu)
Original Theatrical Poster
Ski Battalion Za Sovetskuyu Rodinu ("For the Soviet Motherland"); also known as Padenie Kimas-ozera ("The Fall of Kimas Lake")) is a Soviet 1937 war movie directed by brothers Rafail and Yuri Muzykants. It depicts an episode of Soviet–Finnish conflict in Winter 1921–1922, a raid of Soviet ski battalion, formed of 170 Red Finns under the command of Toivo Antikainen (Oleg Zhakov ), behind enemy lines and the victory at Kimas-ozero (Kiimaisjarvi Lake).
The following weapons were used in the film Ski Battalion (Za Sovetskuyu Rodinu) :
Revolvers Nagant M1895 Jukka (Nikolay Kryuchkov ), the commander of Karelian Red partisans, carries a Nagant M1895 revolver. During the final battle Arttu (Ivan Chuvelyov ) disarms a Finnish gunner of a Nagant.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing Russian Nagant 1895, produced 1920s - 7.62x38N Error creating thumbnail: File missing Jukka (in center) holds a Nagant. Error creating thumbnail: File missing Finnish gunner holds his revolver in close combat with Arttu. Error creating thumbnail: File missing Arttu fires captured revolver. Pistols M1911 An M1911 is Toivo Antikainen's (Oleg Zhakov ) personal sidearm.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing Original Colt M1911 (dated 1913) - .45 ACP Error creating thumbnail: File missing Antikainen holds his pistol. Error creating thumbnail: File missing Error creating thumbnail: File missing Antikainen puts his pistol back in holster. Error creating thumbnail: File missing Antikainen holds his M1911 in action. Mauser C96 Finnish officers, including Lt. Riuttu (Pyotr Kirillov ) and unnamed Sgt. (Sergey Filippov ), carry Mauser C96 pistols.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing Pre-War dated Mauser C96 "Broomhandle" Commercial Version - 7.63x25mm Mauser Error creating thumbnail: File missing Riuttu fires his C96. Error creating thumbnail: File missing Finnish Sgt. carries a Mauser in holster. Error creating thumbnail: File missing Arttu (Ivan Chuvelyov ) carries a Mauser in holster and Double Barreled Shotgun , both taken from captured Riuttu. Error creating thumbnail: File missing A Finnish officer (at the right) holds a C96 during the final battle. Rifles and Muskets Mosin Nagant M1891 Both Soviet and Finnish soldiers are mostly armed with historically correct Mosin Nagant M1891 rifles. They are notably seen in hands of Red Finns Toivo Antikainen (Oleg Zhakov ), Arttu (Ivan Chuvelyov ), Hjalmar (Ivan Selyanin ), Eino (Pyotr Aleynikov ) and unnamed soldier (Stepan Krylov ). A Red partisan (Konstantin Nazarenko ) holds M91 rifle when he guards captured Lt. Riuttu.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing Mosin Nagant M1891 Infantry Rifle - 7.62x54mm R Error creating thumbnail: File missing A Soviet border guard holds M91 rifle with attached bayonet in the opening scene. Error creating thumbnail: File missing A Soviet soldier fires his M91 rifle. Error creating thumbnail: File missing A closeup of the barrel of M91 in hands of a Finnish soldier. Error creating thumbnail: File missing Arttu carries his rifle on sling while pursuing Lt. Riuttu. Error creating thumbnail: File missing Toivo Antikainen fires an M91 rifle. Error creating thumbnail: File missing A Finnish soldier fires. Error creating thumbnail: File missing A Finnish soldier with M91 rifle and RG-14 hand grenade. Error creating thumbnail: File missing Eino on rest with his M91 rifle. Error creating thumbnail: File missing Hjalmar holds his rifle. Another M91 with attached bayonet is seen at the wall. Error creating thumbnail: File missing A partisan guards Lt. Riuttu. Error creating thumbnail: File missing Red soldiers in attack in the final battle. Winchester Model 1895 Winchester Model 1895 rifles are used by some Finnish soldiers. This is also correct weapon as in 1918 Finland got several thousands Russian contract M1895s from former Russian army.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing A Russian contract Model 1895 in 7.62x54 Russian. Note the loading bridge over the reciever Error creating thumbnail: File missing A Finnish soldier on top holds his Winchester by the sling. Error creating thumbnail: File missing A Finnish soldier drops his Winchester, being hit by grenade blast. Infantry Musket M1845 In night scene a Red partisan holds a long gun that greatly resembles antique Infantry Musket M1845 .
Error creating thumbnail: File missing Russian percussion cap musket M1845 - .70 Error creating thumbnail: File missing The buttstock is seen. Error creating thumbnail: File missing The barrel is seen. The position of barrel bands match the M1845 Musket. Error creating thumbnail: File missing The top barrel band is seen. It also matches M1845. Shotguns Double Barreled Shotgun Lt. Riuttu (Pyotr Kirillov ) carries a Double Barreled Shotgun when he goes on hunt. Some Karelian Red partisans are armed with double barreled shotguns.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing Riuttu on hunt. The knife that he carries on belt resembles in shape traditional Finnish puukko but seems to be too long. Error creating thumbnail: File missing Arttu (Ivan Chuvelyov ) carries the shotgun, taken from captured Riuttu. Error creating thumbnail: File missing An aged partisan holds a shotgun. Error creating thumbnail: File missing Another partisan carries a shotgun. Machine Guns Maxim M1910 In the opening scene Soviet border guards use a Maxim M1910 machine gun during the attack of Finnish troops. In the final scene Finnish soldiers use a Maxim M1910, but Arttu (Ivan Chuvelyov ) commandeers the machine gun.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing Maxim 1910, simplified version with smooth water jacket - 7.62x54mmR Error creating thumbnail: File missing Soviet border guards fire a Maxim from a blockhouse. Error creating thumbnail: File missing Finnish soldiers fire a Maxim in the final battle. Error creating thumbnail: File missing Error creating thumbnail: File missing Arttu fires the Maxim. Chauchat Antikainen's soldiers use a Chauchat that appears as the only machine gun of Red unit. In reality the ski battalion was supplied with six Cauchat, six Madsens and a number of Fedorov Avtomats .
Error creating thumbnail: File missing Chauchat Mle 1915 - 8x50mmR Lebel Error creating thumbnail: File missing The barrel and bipod of Chauchat machine gun is seen at the left. Error creating thumbnail: File missing Another view of Chauchat. Other Weapons RG-14 Hand Grenade RG-14 (or RG-14/30 ) hand grenades are used by Soviet and Finnish soldiers.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing RG-14/30 Soviet hand grenade. Error creating thumbnail: File missing A Red soldier throws a grenade at attacking Finnish soldiers in the opening scene. Error creating thumbnail: File missing A Finnish soldier throws a grenade. Error creating thumbnail: File missing A Red soldier at the right carries a pair of RG-14s at his belt. Error creating thumbnail: File missing Toivo Antikainen (Oleg Zhakov ) throws a grenade during the final battle. 
