He moved to command the Caucasian Front in December 1941 and the Crimean Front in January 1942. He commanded the Kerch Peninsula landings but, despite initial successes, the operation ended in disaster, with the Soviets losing over 176,000 men, 37 tanks, around 3,500 guns and mortars and 400 aircraft and losing the bridgehead to the Germans in Operation Trappenjagd. On 4 June 1942 he was demoted to major general and removed from command of the front. In August that year he was transferred to command 24th Army and from October 1942 was assistant deputy commander of the Voronezh Front.