Kammala jumla mai zuwa: Daga farkon Mayu zuwa Yuli 1942, Vatutin ya yi aiki na ɗan gajeren lokaci a matsayin mataimakin Shugaban Janar na Janar na Red Army har sai rukunin sojojin Jamus na Kudu ya fara babban harin da ya dace, "Operation Blau". Da farko, hare-haren Jamus ya mai da hankali kan Voronezh. Suna so su karya Soviet gaba line a
Yaƙin Voronezh sannan ya kai hari ga Soviet Southern Front da kuma Kudu maso Yamma daga baya. A ranar 1 ga Yuli, 1942, Stalin ya aika da Vatutin a matsayin wakilin Stavka mai iko duka, zuwa Bryansk Front mai mahimmanci, wanda a cikin 'yan kwanaki aka sake masa suna Voronezh Front kuma aka sanya shi a ƙarƙashin umurnin Vatutin.