▁The ▁division ▁fought ▁in ▁the ▁Balt ic ▁Operation ▁and ▁then ▁the ▁L ening rad ▁Str ateg ic ▁Def ensive . ▁Rod in ' s ▁division ▁def ended ▁the ▁L uga ▁def ensive ▁line ▁for ▁one ▁month . ▁In ▁September ▁ 1 9 4 1 , ▁he ▁became ▁commander ▁of ▁the ▁ 1 2 4 th ▁T ank ▁Brigade . ▁In ▁February ▁ 1 9 4 2 , ▁the ▁brig ade ▁transferred ▁to ▁the ▁ 5 4 th ▁Army ▁at ▁Vol kh ov ▁and ▁fought ▁in ▁the ▁un success ful ▁Ly ub an ▁Off ensive ▁Operation . ▁From ▁May , ▁Rod in ▁was ▁the ▁deput y ▁commander ▁of ▁the ▁ 5 4 th ▁Army ▁Arm ored ▁and ▁Mechan ized ▁Tro ops . ▁On ▁ 3 ▁May , ▁he ▁was ▁promoted ▁to ▁major ▁general . ▁In ▁June ▁ 1 9 4 2 , ▁he ▁became ▁commander ▁of ▁the ▁ 2 6 th ▁T ank ▁Corps . ▁The ▁corps ▁fought ▁in ▁Operation ▁U ran us ▁and ▁captured ▁Kal ach ▁on ▁ 9 ▁November . ▁The ▁corps ▁became ▁the ▁ 1 st ▁Gu ards ▁T ank ▁Corps ▁and ▁later ▁received ▁the ▁honor ific ▁" Don " ▁for ▁its ▁actions . ▁On ▁ 7 ▁February ▁ 1 9 4 3 , ▁Rod in ▁was ▁awarded ▁the ▁title ▁Hero ▁of ▁the ▁Soviet ▁Union ▁and ▁the ▁Order ▁of ▁Len in ▁for ▁his ▁leadership ▁of ▁the ▁corps . ▁ ▁After ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁the ▁Battle ▁of ▁St aling rad ▁in ▁February , ▁Rod in ▁became ▁commander ▁of ▁the ▁ 2 nd