In a crisis of relationships and life, the Berlin scene journalist Paul Jensen (Moritz Bleibtreu) flees to Moscow to give his mentor Alexei Onjegin (Rade Serbedzija)’s Russian tabloid magazine a breath of fresh air. The gossip about Russia’s rich and beautiful is his métier and Paul easily gives the paper a new shine and a higher circulation. Everything seems fine again, his life resembles a single party, also thanks to the help of his constant companion Dima (Max Riemelt). There he makes the acquaintance with the beautiful Katja (Kasia Smutniak) and it has happened to him. Paul only has eyes for the mysterious Russian woman, who even makes him publish a politically motivated obituary. An action with consequences, because from now on the events in Paul’s life are coming thick and fast. He is accused of terrorism himself and ends up in one of Russia’s notorious prisons. Paul is going through hell on earth. When Onjegin can finally bring about a surrender, Paul already thinks he is safe. But in doing so, he underestimated his real opponents. A race against time begins.