Colonel Mikhail Bushin became division commander in November. The division defended positions south of Voronezh until 2 January 1943 and attacked in the Voronezh–Kastornoye operation and the Kharkov offensive operation. During these battles, it participated in the recapture of Voronezh and Shchigry. For "poor organization" of the battle for the village of Kolpakovo, Bushin was relieved of command on 1 March. By 11 March the 121st reached the Seym River in the area of the fortified points of Iznoskovo and Zhadino, then went on the defensive. Major General Ivan Ladygin became commander of the division on 13 March. In late March the division and the 60th Army became part of the Central Front, with which it fought in the Battle of Kursk and the Battle of the Dnieper. For participating in the recapture of Rylsk the division received the name of the city as an honorific on 31 August. Continuing to advance in what became known as the Chernigov–Pripyat Offensive, the division forced the Desna on 23 September and within two days the Dnieper and captured a bridgehead at Yasnogorodka. From 3 November the division advanced out of the bridgehead in the Kiev Offensive, participating in the recapture of Kiev. On 6 November 1943 the 121st received the name of the city as an honorific. Between 18 November and late December the division fought against German counterattacks in the Kiev Defensive Operation.