Dimitri joined the Soviet army in 1938 and was sent to Poland in 1939
When the Nazis invaded mainland Russia he was sent to the front with a very fast tank that was faster than a Mercedes Benz.
Him and his tank crew of two other people made an entire unit retreat just with their machine gun.
Once the war was over and was patrolling the border on his own in an armored car in 1949 he escaped into West Berlin