 Nyora kupfuurira kweiyi ndima - Zaitsev akaberekwa muna 1923 uye akapinda chikoro chepakati asati azvipira kupinda muuto reSoviet muna 1941. Muna Chivabvu 1942, Zaitsev akaendeswa kumauto ehondo uye akashanda semukuru mukuru mu113th Tank Brigade uye gare gare 7th Guards Tank Corps. Akaendeswa kumuzinda we6th Guards Tank Corps. Zaitsev akapinda muhondo dzeKursk neBerlin, pamwe nemabasa makuru eSoviet akadai seLvov-Sandomierz, Vistula-Oder, uye kutyaira paPrague. Zaitsev akapedza basa rake rehondo rakagoverwa ku1st Ukrainian Front. 