Pedzisa mutsara unotevera: Kubvira pakutanga kwaMay kusvika muna July 1942, Vatutin akashumira kwenguva pfupi somutevedzeri woMukuru weGeneral Staff weRed Army kusvikira German Army Group South yatanga kurwisa kwayo kukuru, "Operation Blau". Pakutanga, kurwisa kweGermany kwakanangidzirwa paVoronezh. Vaida kuputsa mutsetse wapamberi weSoviet pa
Hondo yeVoronezh uye ipapo kurwisa Soviet Southern Front uye Southwestern 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.