Vasily Grigoryevich Zaitsev, at his own request, was transferred from the Pacific Fleet to the front and enlisted in the 284th Rifle Division. Following a brief training period, V.G. Zaitsev, along with other soldiers, was transported across the Volga and found himself in the midst of the Battle of Stalingrad. In his inaugural combat engagement, the prospective sniper exhibited remarkable accuracy. On one occasion, from a distance of 800 meters, he successfully targeted and neutralized three enemy soldiers with an ordinary rifle. He was bestowed with a sniper rifle with an optical sight and the Medal “For Courage”.

Vasily Zaitsev exhibited all the attributes of an exemplary sniper: acute vision and hearing, composure, endurance, and stealth. He was adept at meticulously selecting and camouflaging his position. During the Battle of Stalingrad, he is estimated to have killed approximately 250 enemy soldiers and officers, including 11 snipers. One of the most significant contributions of Vasily Zaitsev was his role in instructing other snipers. In February 1943, Vasily Zaitsev was bestowed with the title of Hero of the Soviet Union.