9 4 1 , ▁he ▁joined ▁the ▁college ▁cho ir ▁and ▁was ▁later ▁selected ▁by ▁Maria ▁W lad imi row na ▁W lad imi row a ▁to ▁study ▁at ▁the ▁Moscow ▁Conserv atory , ▁who ▁predicted ▁a ▁gl itter ing ▁opera ▁career ▁for ▁him . ▁But ▁her ▁plans ▁for ▁Min sky ▁were ▁th wart ed ▁by ▁the ▁Soviet ▁Union ' s ▁entry ▁into ▁World ▁War ▁II ▁on ▁ 2 2 ▁June ▁ 1 9 4 1 . ▁ ▁World ▁War ▁II ▁Min sky ▁was ▁draft ed ▁into ▁the ▁Red ▁Army ▁on ▁ 2 ▁August ▁ 1 9 4 2 ▁and ▁trained ▁for ▁four ▁months ▁in ▁Sar at ov . ▁He ▁was ▁soon ▁taken ▁prisoner , ▁sp ending ▁a ▁total ▁of ▁ 3 3 ▁months ▁in ▁various ▁P OW ▁cam ps ▁near ▁the ▁front ▁lines . ▁In ▁ 1 9 4 3 , ▁he ▁was ▁put ▁to ▁work ▁as ▁a ▁forced ▁labour er ▁near ▁the ▁Hung arian ▁border . ▁His ▁over se er ▁turned ▁out ▁to ▁be ▁the ▁brother - in - law ▁of ▁a ▁ten or ▁from ▁the ▁Pl ato ff ▁Don ▁C oss ack ▁Ch oir , ▁who ▁told ▁Min sky ▁about ▁the ▁Don ▁C oss ack ▁Ch oir ▁Serge ▁Jar off . ▁ ▁Ref uge e ▁cam ps ▁ ▁After ▁the ▁war , ▁from ▁ 1 9 4 5 ▁to ▁ 1 9 4 8 , ▁Min sky ▁moved ▁between ▁a ▁number ▁of ▁refuge e ▁cam ps . ▁Cultural ▁life ▁bl oss omed ▁spect ac ular ly ▁in ▁these ▁cam ps