After Operation Barbarossa began, Iovlev led the 64th in the Battle of Białystok–Minsk, defending the approaches to Minsk as part of the 13th Army. He was credited with "skilfully organizing" the anti-tank defenses of the division, which allowed the division to hold its positions for a week, although suffering heavy losses. Facing encirclement, the remnants of the division retreated towards the Berezina River and then Smolensk. Iovlev led a group northeast. They acted as partisans before reaching Soviet lines on 26 September in the area of Bely in the sector of the 29th Army.