Vasili Zaitsev

Zaitsev was a Soviet sniper who between November and December 1942 killed at least 225 officers and soldiers of the invading German army (these included at least 11 enemy snipers). Zaitsev had accumulated almost 242 confirmed kills by the end of the battle. That number is still under speculation and the real number may be more than 400. Zaitsev was born in Yeleninskoye and was raised in the Ural Mountains. His grandfather taught him to hunt, and this is supposedly where his deadly aim was acquired. Zaitsev served in the army until 1943 when he suffered an eye injury in a mine blast. However his sight was eventually restored. He started to train snipers who came after him. It is estimated that his student snipers killed more than 3000 Germans before the end of the war. Zaitsev died at age 76 in the Russian city of Kiev. His only wish upon his death was to be buried with his fellow soldiers at the Defenders of Stalingrad memorial.

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