 Nyora kuenderera kweiyi ndima - Zuva rakatevera kutanga kweOperation Barbarossa musi wa22 Chikumi 1941, Zykov akatungamira 121st Rifle Division sezvo yakatora nzvimbo dzekudzivirira kumahombekombe ekumabvazuva erwizi Shchara mudunhu reSlonim sechikamu che13th Army. Kubvira musi wa24 June vakarwa muhondo dzakasimba dzekuzvidzivirira, vachidzokera kuBaranovichi, Slutsk, Osipovichi, musha weBoyarshchina, neStarye Dorogi. Chikamu chakakomberedzwa mukupera kwaJune asi chakapunzika musi wa7 Chikunguru uye chakabviswa kuNovozybkov kuti chiwedzerwe. The 121st nokukurumidza vakadzokera mberi uye vakarwa muHondo Smolensk, ipapo akarwa kuzvidzivirira hondo pamusoro Sozh, Sudost, uye Desna, uye kubva 30 September muHondo Bryanskpashure pokutanga kweOperation Typhoon, kurwisa kweGermany uko kwakatanga Hondo yeMoscow. Munguva iyi, 121st yakakomberedzwa kechipiri musango reKinelsky, asi yakaputika munzvimbo yePesochnaya neLgov. Chikamu chakaenderera mberi nekurwa mukudzivirira kweTim neYelets Offensive, uye chakadzoserwa kuSouthwestern Front reserve munzvimbo yeYelets musi wa15 Zvita. 