In September 1941, in one of the most critical periods in the Battle of Leningrad, he was appointed deputy commander of the Leningrad Front by Marshal Georgy Zhukov, and at the same time appointed as the commander of 42 A . After Zhukov's departure in October 1941, he temporarily commanded the front, then, on October 27, was appointed commander of 54 A , which under his command took an active part in the Tikhvin defensive and Tikhvin offensive operations as part of Leningrad Strategic Defensive, as a result of which the Soviet troops achieved strategic success. In 1942, the army took part in the Battle of Lyuban, in which it was not successful and suffered heavy losses.