After the end of the war, Khetagurov graduated from the 38th Pyatigorsk Infantry Courses at Kislovodsk in early 1922. From February of that year, he served with the 28th Mountain Rifle Division as an assistant platoon commander, training platoon commander with the divisional school, and platoon commander in the 84th Rifle Regiment. After graduating from the Kiev Combined Military School in August 1926, Khetagurov was sent to the 36th Rifle Division in Chita in the Transbaikal. There he served as a platoon commander and "politruk" of the 36th Artillery Regiment, and as a commander and "politruk" of a battery of the artillery battalion of the 108th Rifle Regiment. In November 1928 he transferred to serve in the latter position with the 25th Mountain Horse Artillery Battalion of the 5th Kuban Cavalry Brigade of the Transbaikal Group of Forces. With the brigade, Khetagurov fought in the 1929 Sino-Soviet conflict.