Born in 1926, Vertelko was still a child when the Second World War broke out, and following the Axis invasion of the Soviet Union in 1941, lived for some time under German occupation.

He initially served as a scout in a motorcycle reconnaissance battalion, going on to see action at the liberation of Minsk and during the Vilnius offensive.

Wounded in action, he lost a finger, and received the Order of the Red Star when defending against counterattacks, before joining the tank forces as a crewman on a T-34.

By now attached to the tank forces, Vertelko studied at several schools and rose through the ranks and positions to more senior commands.

He then made a radical switch in his career after being transferred to the Soviet Border Forces, who were in the process of equipping with new heavier armaments, and who needed an experienced commander.

[2] With the Axis invasion of the Soviet Union in 1941, Vertelko was employed in constructing defensive positions for a time.

[9][2] A testimony from February 1944, signed by senior lieutenant Musin, noted that "Vertelko showed himself to be a brave reconnaissance warrior.

While in a reconnaissance group ... he killed 34 German soldiers, for which he was presented with a government award - the Order of the Red Star.

[1] It was during this time that Vertelko finally completed his secondary education, secretly graduating from the ninth grade of high school in 1954.

Though he passed the examinations, there was some question over his wartime injury of a missing finger, which initially caused his rejection by the selection committee.

Swift action by the forces under his command prevented his team's defeat, and Vertelko received the personal thanks of Defence Minister Andrei Grechko, a gold watch, and admission to the Academy.

[1] In 1971 he took charge of the commission for testing the T-72 tank, and being convinced of its merits, pushed for its acceptance into service, a view which carried the day.

[10] Success in this post led to him being tipped to become the army's commander, but in 1973 Vertelko made a surprise transfer to the Soviet Border Forces, which were part of the KGB.

[7][8] He had seventy-five garrisons under his command as well as advisers among the Afghan border troops, six airborne assault groups and three air regiments.

[8] He spent nine years in Afghanistan, becoming first deputy head of the Main Directorate of the KGB in 1983, and serving as such until his retirement in 1990 with the rank of colonel general.

[19] During the celebration of the 100th anniversary of the Soviet Army and Navy, Defender of the Fatherland Day, he was awarded the commemorative medal "100 Years of the Armed Forces" in 2018.