Penalty battalions and the fate of their fighters have become a fashionable topic. TV series are made about them and books are written. Around any significant historical event, myths and speculation inevitably appear, which sometimes distort the essence of the phenomenon. This is what happens with the history of penal units. How true are all the modern films and books devoted to this topic? Was the topic of penal battalions really taboo in the Soviet Union? Are they telling us the truth? Kustov’s new work is devoted to exposing post-Soviet myths about penalty boxes. The book uses unique archival documents.