[SJackson]

If he failed to work for the army, then he may have been killed for it. He was born in Ukraine where 6 or 8 million were killed in the 1930's by a similar actions as to the holocaust. If he is 'guilty' he was likely just trying to survive. He knew well that failure to serve the authorities could cause death, that was the environment he knew.

He wasn't impressed into service. He was a Russian soldier, captured by the Germans and as a POW volunteered for service in the SS.

[aristeides]

Soviet POWs who did not volunteer for service with the Germans had a notoriously short life expectancy.

[GingisK]

He was a Russian soldier, captured by the Germans and as a POW....

Sounds like he had an interest in staying alive to me.