As a result, in year two of university, she was sent to Spain to work as an interpreter for Russian military leaders during the Spanish Civil War.

During her time in prison, she wrote about the experiences she had, including stories of the women she interacted with while imprisoned.

[2] After her release from prison, Zernova translated novels from French and Spanish into Russian at home.

She published her first original short story, "Skorpionovy Yagody" in Ogoniok in the early 1960s.

[2] In 2005, a memorial event was held for Zernova at the Bowery Poetry Club in New York City.