[1] During the Battle of Smolensk, Petrovsky used his corps to temporarily halt the German advance in the Rogachev area, one of the first successful Soviet counterattacks of the war.
The 13 July counterattack across the Dnieper penetrated 8–10 kilometers into the defenses of the LIII Army Corps' 52nd and 255th Infantry Division, and captured Rogachev and Zhlobin.
Army commander Vasily Gordov requested that the 63rd Corps be allowed to withdraw to Gomel, but Stalin refused.
Having repulsed all the German counterattacks and expanding the breakthrough, Petrovsky led the main forces of the corps to the southwest.
Meanwhile, in the forest, east of the Khalch station, the 154th division fought the most intense battles with the Nazis, who sought to cut off our units of the escape route.
The division not only covered the rear and flank of the retreating corps, but also managed to break through the enemy ring in this area.
He was always seen in the most decisive places.In an uncommon action for the Eastern Front, he was buried with full military honors by German troops and a cross was erected over his grave with an inscription announcing his bravery.