“DearUli.I’mgoingtotheUkraine.Don’tBeAngry.Dad.”EduardLeander(JürgenProchnow)leavesthisnoteforhisdaughterandboardsatrainfromGermanyboundforKiev.Anychildwouldbeworrieduponreadingsuchaperfunctorymessage,butUlihasgreaterreasonsforconcern.TheUkraineisinturmoil.Followingthefallofthepro-RussiangovernmentinKiev,anewcrisisthreatenstoengulfeastUkraineaspro-RussianseparatistsstormgovernmentbuildingsinDonetskandRussiantroopsamassonUkraine’sborder.Also,Eduardis92yearsold.Hiswifehasrecentlypassedaway.Andhe’sastubbornman.UlidispatchesAdele,Eduard’sgranddaughter,tothetrainstationtopreventhisdeparture.Unabletoreasonwithhim,Adelehasnochoice—despitehavingnotraveldocuments—buttojoinEduardonhisinexplicablejourney.TheyshareacompartmentwithLew,aleather-cladRussian-bornUkrainianwithimplacableenergyandenigmaticcharm.HeoffersEduardandAdelerefugewithhispoliticallysplinteredfamilyinKiev.Hisbrother,Boris,isaseparatistandwantsEasternUkrainetoformpartofRussia.LewfavorsaunifiedUkraineindependentofRussianinfluence.AsLew’sfamilydivisionsbringAdele’sfracturedrelationshipwithhergrandfatherintohighrelief,Eduardrevealsthepurposeofhissuddenjourney.DuringtheSecondWorldWar,hehadcommandedthe2ndCossackCavalrySquadronagainsttheRedArmy.Duringthistime,EduardfellinlovewithSvetlana,aCossackwoman.Undeterredbythefactthatshemaynolongerbealive,Eduard,alongwithAdeleandLew,plungesheadlongonadangerousquestintowar-torneastUkrainetofindtheonlywomanhetrulyloved.