Following the outbreak of Operation Barbarossa, Slyusarev became deputy commander of the Air Force of the Southwestern Front, which was created on the basis of the Kiev Special Military District. He led the front air force in the border battles and in first Battle of Kiev. In September 1941, he was appointed commander of the 142nd Air Defense Fighter Aviation Division, which was part of the Gorky Air Defense Corps Region. In March 1943, he was appointed commander of the 5th Mixed Aviation Corps, which in June was reorganized into the 7th Fighter Aviation Corps.