the army was formed for a second time from 28th mechanized corps (second formation) headquarters on 20 april 1942, part of the bryansk front. it included the 1st guards rifle division, a mortar regiment and a separate engineer battalion. the army was commanded by major general grigory khalyuzin. on 1 june, the army included the 6th guards, 8th, 211th and 280th rifle divisions. it also included the 118th and 122nd rifle brigades as well as the 80th and 202nd tank brigades. artillery and engineer units were also included. air support was provided by the 879th light bomber aviation regiment. army troops took up positions on the korobka river west of novosil. from the end of june to july, the army fought in heavy defensive battles in the yeletsky direction. during the battles, the army was able to hold the german troops at the line of bolshoy malinovets, zalegosh, setenyovo and svetitsky. on 27 august the deputy commander of the army, major general konstantin ignatievich novik, was killed in action at dishnia station during a heavy enemy artillery raid. in february 1943, the army launched an offensive in the maloarkhangelsk direction. on 12 february, lieutenant general prokofy romanenko took command of the army. by 23 february it was in position southwest of novosil and northwest of maloarkhangelsk.