1 st ▁( oper ational ) ▁staff ▁of ▁that ▁district ; ▁from ▁June ▁ 1 9 3 7 , ▁of ▁the ▁K iev ▁military ▁district ; ▁from ▁July ▁ 1 9 3 8 , ▁chief ▁of ▁staff ▁of ▁Army ▁Group ▁forces ▁Zh it om ir ; ▁and ▁in ▁September ▁ 1 9 3 9 , ▁the ▁ 5 th ▁Army ▁of ▁the ▁K iev ▁Special ▁Military ▁District . ▁ ▁World ▁War ▁II ▁In ▁September ▁ 1 9 3 9 ▁he ▁took ▁part ▁in ▁the ▁campaign ▁in ▁Poland , ▁and ▁was ▁deput y ▁chief ▁of ▁staff ▁of ▁the ▁ 7 th ▁Army ▁in ▁the ▁Rus so - F inn ish ▁War . ▁ ▁In ▁August ▁ 1 9 4 0 ▁he ▁was ▁appointed ▁chief ▁of ▁staff ▁of ▁the ▁North ▁C au cas us , ▁from ▁January ▁ 1 9 4 1 ▁to ▁the ▁position ▁of ▁commander ▁of ▁the ▁Central ▁Asian ▁Military ▁District . ▁With ▁the ▁on set ▁of ▁the ▁Great ▁Patri otic ▁War , ▁he ▁went ▁on ▁to ▁command ▁the ▁district , ▁and ▁at ▁the ▁same ▁time , ▁from ▁August ▁to ▁October ▁ 1 9 4 1 , ▁the ▁ 5 3 rd ▁Army , ▁deployed ▁in ▁the ▁area ▁to ▁guard ▁the ▁border ▁of ▁the ▁USS R ▁in ▁Central ▁Asia ▁. ▁ ▁From ▁December ▁ 1 9 4 1 ▁to ▁March ▁ 1 9 4 2 ▁he ▁commanded ▁a ▁task ▁force ▁of ▁im pressed ▁prisoners ▁gathered ▁from ▁g ul ags ▁in ▁the ▁Med vez h ieg or sky ▁area ▁( 1 9 4 1