This punishment was not carried out and Yermolkin remained without an assignment at the disposal of the personnel department of the Stalingrad Front until being appointed deputy commander of the 169th Rifle Division, now with the 64th Army of the Don Front, on 12 January 1943. In this position, he participated in Operation Koltso and the destruction of the German forces encircled in Stalingrad. His performance here was evaluated positively in combat characteristics as having "proved himself to be a brave and decisive commander". After the end of the fighting in Stalingrad, the division was withdrawn to the Reserve of the High Command, then sent to the Western Front as part of the 11th Guards Army. In July Yermolkin fought in Operation Kutuzov with the division, receiving the Order of the Red Banner for his performance during the operation. On 30 July the division and its army transferred to the Bryansk Front and continued the offensive to the south, assisting in the encirclement of German troops south of Oryol. Yermolkin was killed in fighting near Navlya on 7 September and was buried in a mass grave in the city of Navlya.