On 22 June 1941 the German war Axis invades the Soviet Union. By the late autumn Sevastopol, a strategic port in the Crimea on the Black Sea, was the only objective not yet in Axis hands.

The break out of war shatters the world of a young student, Lyudmila Pavlichenko, forcing her to join in the defiant defence of Sevastapol. Enlisting in the army and undertaking brief sniper training, Lyudmila soon finds herself on the front lines. It quickly becomes evident that Lyudmila is a natural-born sniper, exhibiting impressive skill and prowess, proving her immense value to the Red Army. Her 309 kills is a testament to her sniping marksmanship, making her the number one female sniper of WWII, beating the tallies of many of her male compatriots.