Zaitsev fought in the Battle of Stalingrad until January 1943, when a mortar attack injured his eyes, but before he got injured, he killed 225 people only in the Battle of Stalingrad. He was attended to by Vladimir Filatov, who is credited with having restored Zaitsev's sight. On 22 February 1943, Zaitsev was awarded the title Hero of the Soviet Union. During this time, Zaitsev recruited and trained other marksmen to become snipers during his service in Stalingrad. He returned to the front, and finished the war at the Battle of the Seelow Heights in Germany, with the military rank of captain. He became a member of the Communist Party in 1943.