Britannica Sources used in this answer

Why did the Soviets turn Bucky Barnes into the Winter Soldier?

Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

In the Marvel comics, Bucky Barnes did not turn into the Winter Soldier due to a specific ideological motivation from the Soviets. Rather, after Bucky survived the explosion at the end of World War II, the Soviets recovered his unconscious body. They subsequently replaced his missing arm with a bionic one and brainwashed him to serve as an assassin, utilizing him for clandestine operations while keeping him in suspended animation between missions.1