Stalingrad Front
From December 1941, Zakharov was deputy Commander of the Western Front, which participated in the counterattack on the approaches to Moscow during the Battle of Moscow. From April 1942, Zakharov was Chief of Staff of the North Caucasian Strategic Direction; from May, the commander of the North Caucasian Front, and; from August, the chief of staff of the Stalingrad Front. From October 1942, Zakharov was the deputy commander of the Stalingrad Front, where he successfully exercised leadership of the armies on the Front's left wing during the Soviet counterattack. During January 1943, Zakharov was appointed Deputy Commander of the Southern Front, while from February he was commander of the 51st Army.