Lev is a seventeen-year-old Jewish resident of Leningrad who chooses to stay and defend his city rather than evacuate with his mother and sister. He is socially inexperienced, physically small, and intensely self-critical, often doubting his own courage when faced with the daily horrors of the blockade. As a night guard, he tries to do his part for the war effort while surviving on meager rations.

Kolya is a handsome twenty-year-old Russian soldier imprisoned by the NKVD on charges of desertion. He projects immense confidence, boasts constantly about literature and his success with women, and maintains an easygoing attitude despite the threat of execution. He claims to be the author of a highly regarded but unpublished novel, hiding his personal vulnerabilities beneath a layer of charm.

Vika is an expert rifleman belonging to a Russian partisan unit operating behind German lines. She is a highly skilled sniper who presents a tough, unyielding exterior to survive the harsh realities of guerrilla warfare. She focuses intently on completing her missions and taking down the German forces, showing little patience for incompetence.

Colonel Grechko is a powerful and intimidating officer in the Soviet secret police. He exercises absolute authority over the prisoners in his custody and frequently boasts about his violent past and the executions he has performed. He presents Lev and Kolya with a seemingly impossible task: finding a dozen eggs for his daughter's wedding cake in a starving city.

Abraham is Lev's father, a Jewish poet who wrote candidly about the Leningrad underworld. He was taken away by the NKVD in 1937 for his political views and never returned, leaving a lasting absence in Lev's life and shaping the boy's distrust of authority.

Lev's mother is a cautious woman who evacuated Leningrad with her daughter to escape the German advance. She strongly urged her son to leave the city with them, leading to a bitter disagreement when he refused.

Sonya is a young woman living in Leningrad who associates with a group of doctors and nurses attempting to save bombing victims. She offers her warm apartment as a temporary refuge for Kolya and Lev, welcoming their company in the bleak city.

Korsakov is the tough, battle-hardened commander of a Russian partisan cell operating in German-occupied territory. He enforces strict discipline among his fighters and demands total commitment to their guerrilla operations, showing no remorse for the brutal realities of war.

Abendroth is a notorious officer in the German Einsatzgruppen. He commands forces occupying the Russian countryside and is known for orchestrating the brutal torture and execution of local civilians, making him a prime target for the Russian resistance.

Vera is a teenager who shares roof-guarding duties with Lev and the twins. When authorities interrupt their looting of a German corpse, she slips while running away but manages to escape without being caught or looking back to help Lev.

Timofei is a medical worker and friend of Sonya who helps care for the city's bombing victims. He is an astute chess player who quickly recognizes Lev's talent for the game during a quiet evening at the apartment.

Oleg is a local teenager who stays in Leningrad during the blockade. He helps watch for incendiary bombs but abandons his post to investigate the fallen parachutist, hoping to scavenge supplies.

Grisha is Oleg's twin brother and part of Lev's small circle of friends. He participates in the initial rush to scavenge from the dead German soldier before fleeing when the authorities arrive.

Galina is one of four young Russian women kept in a rural house by German officers. She endures extreme trauma and relies on the other girls for support as they survive the brutal occupation of their village and the memory of their murdered friend.

Markov is a member of Korsakov's partisan group fighting the German forces. He travels with Vika, Lev, and Kolya as they attempt to evade capture by infiltrating a line of prisoners.