After Operation Barbarossa, the 7th Airborne Brigade took part in the defense of the line on the Berezina River. Tikhonov was seriously wounded on 4 July and commanded the reformed 2nd Airborne Corps after leaving the hospital. The corps became the 32nd Guards Rifle Division in May 1942, part of the 47th Army deployed in defence of the Black Sea coast. After the German breakthrough in Case Blue during the summer, the division was transferred to Tuapse, where it reportedly disrupted German attacks on the city. Tikhonov was awarded the Order of the Red Banner for his actions defending Tuapse. On 17 November, he was promoted to major general. From January 1943, the division fought in the Battle of the Caucasus and the Krasnodar Offensive. On 30 January, he was awarded the Order of the Red Banner for his leadership of the 7th Airborne Brigade in 1941. From 9 March to 2 April, Tikhonov commanded the 11th Guards Rifle Corps, part of the 9th Army during the advance on the Taman Peninsula. In July he became the deputy commander of the 58th Army, where he was wounded and in August the deputy commander of the 56th Army. Tikhonov fought in the Novorossiysk-Taman Operation and was wounded again in October. Tikhonov was awarded the Order of the Patriotic War, 1st class on 25 October.