Ramba uchiverenga ndima iyi - Kubva pakutanga kwaMay kusvika muna July 1942, Vatutin akashanda kwenguva pfupi semutevedzeri wemukuru weGeneral Staff yeRed Army kusvikira German Army Group South yatanga kurwisa kwayo kukuru, "Operation Blau". Pakutanga, kurwisa kweGermany kwakanangidzirwa paVoronezh. Vaida kuputsa rusvingo rwepamberi rweSoviet muHondo yeVoronezh
uye ipapo kurwisa Soviet Southern Front neSouthwestern Front kubva shure. Musi wa 1 Chikunguru 1942, Stalin akatumira Vatutin semumiriri ane simba rose weStavka, kuBryansk Front, iyo mukati memazuva mashoma yakatumidzwa zita rekuti Voronezh Front ndokuiswa pasi pekutungamira kwaVatutin.