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For other uses, see Winter Soldier (disambiguation)

"Больно![3]"
―Josef to Vasily Karpov[src]

Josef was an elite HYDRA operative and super soldier who was enhanced by the Super Soldier Serum as a part of the Winter Soldier Program. Years later, Josef was executed by Helmut Zemo while in cryostasis hibernation, along with the other Winter Soldiers.

Biography[]

Winter Soldier Program[]

Training for Missions[]

Josef

Josef undergoing his combat training

"They all turn out like you?"
"Worse."
Sam Wilson and Bucky Barnes[src]

Josef was part of an elite group of five assassins under HYDRA who possessed the highest kill count out of all the assets HYDRA possessed even before being enhanced by the Super Soldier Serum. He and the others were injected with the Super Soldier Serum to replicate the Winter Soldier himself. Barnes was tasked to train the Winter Soldiers to see if they could overpower him, meaning the experiments were a success. To the delight of HYDRA, it was, with Josef successfully overpowering Barnes.

However, Josef and the others soon lost control and started a riot, resulting in all of them being put under deep sleep in Cryostasis Chambers.[1]

Killed by Helmut Zemo[]

Dead Josef

Josef is shot and killed by Helmut Zemo

"If it's any comfort, they died in their sleep. Did you really think I wanted more of you? I'm grateful to them, though. They brought you here."
Helmut Zemo[src]

The Winter Soldiers were eventually found by Helmut Zemo in 2016, who Captain America and Iron Man believed was looking for them to turn them into weapons for his own agenda. To the Avengers' surprise, Zemo had actually executed Josef and the rest of the Winter Soldiers by shooting them each in the head.[1]

Powers and Abilities[]

Powers[]

"Said he wanted to see an empire fall."
"With these guys, he could do it."
Steve Rogers and Bucky Barnes[src]
  • Artificially Enhanced Physiology: Vasily Karpov's unit in the Soviet HYDRA base injected Josef with Howard Stark's stolen Super Soldier Serum. This gave him enhanced physical functions, but also increased his aggression. He was considered to be such a threat that Helmut Zemo chose to kill him in his sleep.
    • Enhanced Strength: As a Winter Soldier, Josef's physical strength was enhanced by a series of treatments performed on him by HYDRA scientists. He was strong enough to be able to overpower Bucky Barnes, the original Winter Soldier, despite him also having a cybernetic arm, managing to pin the limb down firmly and then send him flying with great force using a single kick, snap the neck of a HYDRA scientist with ease, as well as effortlessly take out multiple guards.
    • Enhanced Durability: Josef sustained no injury being hit with a baton at full force. However, he had his limits, as he was killed by a gunshot to his forehead.
    • Enhanced Speed: The serum enhanced Josef's speed in order to fight effectively in battle.
    • Enhanced Agility: Josef also gained enhanced agility as an effect of the serum.
    • Enhanced Stamina: Josef could fight for a very long time which helped him in battle. He effortlessly took on the Winter Soldier, as well as many guards without tiring.
    • Enhanced Reflexes: His reflexes are enhanced to extraordinary levels. His reflexes are responsive enough to dodge Winter Soldier’s attacks.
    • Regenerative Healing Factor: Josef's body was able to heal many wounds very fast, but are unable to heal very severe wounds, like a shot to the head.
    • Longevity: Due to the serum, Josef ages much slower than a regular human. The serum also kept Josef alive and stopped his aging HYDRA kept him in a Cryostasis Chamber where he was frozen for many years.

Abilities[]

"Who were they?"
"Their most elite death squad. More kills than anyone in HYDRA history. And that was before the serum."
Steve Rogers and Bucky Barnes[src]
  • Master Combatant: Josef received training from the highly skilled Winter Soldier, which gave him great combat abilities. He was eventually able to overpower the Winter Soldier and take out multiple highly trained guards.
"They speak thirty languages, can hide in plain sight... infiltrate, assassinate, destabilize. They can take a whole country down in one night, you'd never see them coming."
Bucky Barnes[src]
  • Master Spy: According to Winter Soldier, Josef could hide in plain sight and manage to destabilize an entire country in one night. Making him and his squadron HYDRA's most elite death squad.
  • Master Assassin: Josef and the rest of the Winter Soldiers were some of the best assassins in history, taking out many high ranking people for HYDRA.
  • Multilingualism: Josef could speak thirty languages, including Russian.

Facilities[]

Relationships[]

Allies[]

Enemies[]

Gallery[]

References[]

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