As an officer of the Red Air Force during WW2, Vasily received rapid promotion. On 5 March 1942 he shot down an FW-190 and claimed another German aircraft soon after. He became Commander of the Air Force in the Moscow Military District in 1948. After the death of his father, he was considered a dangerous person and was judged in a behind-closed-doors trial. After 8 years of imprisonment, he was released in 1960, but died soon due to chronic alcoholism.