The 293rd went on the offensive during Operation Uranus on 19 November and by the morning of 24 November it reached the right bank of the Don in the Kalach region. On the night of 25 November it crossed over the ice on the river in the Golubinsky region and began three days of fighting for Illarionovsky khutor. After clashes with tanks and motorized infantry, the 293rd captured the khutor, reaching the western slope of height 131.5, where it entrenched. The division was withdrawn to the second echelon of the army from 13 December, then from 10 January 1943 fought in Operation Koltso. It was redesignated as the 66th Guards Rifle Division on 21 January, and during the month Lagutin was appointed deputy commander of the 21st Army. On 5 February, he was awarded the Order of Suvorov 2nd class for his leadership during the division's breakthrough at Stalingrad.