In 1907 Dolgorukov became an adjutant, in 1910 a General, and in 1914 a commander of the Imperial Guard cavalry regiment, the Life-Guard Horse Artillery unit.

Dolgorukov was initially allowed to stay in the city when he arrived at the end of April, but was arrested by the Cheka secret police, along with Count Ilya Tatischev, as "enemies of the socialist revolution", after maps of the region showing river routes were allegedly found in his lodgings.

[1] During imprisonment, Dolgorukov constantly pressured the British Consulate in Ekaterinburg to help the Imperial family, using pencil-written notes smuggled from his prison cell.

[2] Accused of plotting to rescue the Imperial family, Dolgorukov and Tatishchev were taken by Bolshevik revolutionary Grigory Nikulin and Cheka agents beyond the city's Ivanovskoe Cemetery on July 10, shot in the head and thrown into a pit.

[3] On October 31/November 1, 1981 the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia canonized the Prince as The Holy Martyr Warrior, Vasily.