In January 1942, the Corps was pushed back in the Barvenkovo–Lozovaya Offensive by troops of the Southern Front (under Malinovsky) in the Izyum area. After the ensuing Second Battle of Kharkov, the Corps took part in the successful counter-offensive from 17 May, called "Operation Fridericus". During the German summer offensive, the Corps invaded the Caucasus from Sloviansk via the lower Don near Konstantinovsk in July 1942. After advancing towards Maikop, it tried in vain to break through to Tuapse on the Black Sea.