<prompt> Bhala ukuqhubeka kwalesi sigaba - U-Yegipko wabuyela e-USSR ngo-Agasti 1938, wathatha isikhundla sokuba ngumkhuzi weBrigade Yesibili Yasolwandle Olumnyama. Wabamba lesi sikhundla kwaze kwaba nguDisemba 1939, lapho eba umkhuzi webutho lemikhumbi-ngwenya leBaltic Fleet. Wabamba lesi sikhundla ngesikhathi seMpi YaseSoviet-Finnish  <response>: , washiya ngoMeyi 1940 ukuze aqhubeke nezifundo zakhe eNaval Academy. Wathweswa iziqu ngo-Ephreli 1941, wakhuthazwa ngo-Ephreli 26 waba ngukaputeni wesigaba sokuqala. Kusukela kuleyo nyanga kwaze kwaba ngoSepthemba wayengumlawuli we-1st Submarine Brigade yeBaltic Fleet. U-Yegipko wabamba iqhaza emisebenzini yezempi kulandela ukuhlasela kweJalimane eSoviet Union ngoJuni 1941. Ngesikhathi amaSoviet esusa abantu eTallinn ngo-August 1941, umkhumbi wakhe ongaphansi kwamanzi, i-S-5, washayisa imayini, futhi u-Yegipko waphonswa emanzini esuka embhoshongweni wokuqondisa. Wasindiswa, enokushaqeka okukhulu, ngomunye umkhumbi. Kusukela ngoSepthemba kuya ku-Okthoba 1941 wayesebenzela uMkhandlu Wezempi weBaltic Fleet, ngaphambi kokuqokwa kwakhe njengenxusa lasolwandle enxusa laseSoviet e-United Kingdom. Njengomphathi wasolwandle, u-Yegipko wayevame ukusebenza njengomqaphi emikhunjini yempi yaseBrithani, futhi wayehamba emikhunjini yaseBrithani emisebenzini yokuhambisa i-Arctic. 