Well it's a sweeping generalization about the former POWs all sent to Gulag. But yes, NKVD had a unit called SMERSH (Death to Spies) that would do that. They al

Well it's a sweeping generalization about the former POWs all sent to Gulag. But yes, NKVD had a unit called SMERSH (Death to Spies) that would do that. They almost did it to my grand-grandfather who was injured at the beginnig of war, was captured and spent 4 years in a concentration camp(he was an officer hence treated better). Upon his return he was about to sent to Gulag but they found the doctor who treated him in the captivity and he testified that my g-grandfather was gravely injured, abandoned by his unit and didn't just surrender to Germans. He was never awarded a medal to commerate the victory (like all the soldiers had) but at least he was recognized as an army veteran (with all the rights that came with that)