In the same year, Tikhonov was awarded a Central Executive Committee of the RSFSR-inscribed gold watch for reported personal bravery.

[2] During that year and 1922, he participated in operations against anti-Soviet groups in Troitsky Uyezd, Chelyabinsk Province.

Between April and August 1923, Tikhonov studied at the Volga Military District cavalry commanders courses.

After their end, he returned to the 44th Cavalry Regiment, fighting to suppress an uprising in Chechnya[1] and was wounded on 21 February 1925.

During January and March 1940, Tikhonov fought in the Winter War commanding the 28th Cavalry Regiment[4] in the same brigade as part of the 13th Army.

He was sent to study at the Military Academy of Command and Officers of the Red Army Air Force in October.

[1][2] After Operation Barbarossa, the 7th Airborne Brigade took part in the defense of the line on the Berezina River.

Tikhonov was seriously wounded on 4 July and commanded the reformed 2nd Airborne Corps after leaving the hospital.

The corps became the 32nd Guards Rifle Division in May 1942, part of the 47th Army deployed in defence of the Black Sea coast.

[8] From 9 March to 2 April, Tikhonov commanded the 11th Guards Rifle Corps, part of the 9th Army during the advance on the Taman Peninsula.

During the Leningrad–Novgorod Offensive, the army captured Ropsha, Krasnogvardeysk, Gdov and Koivisto, as well as helping break the Siege of Leningrad.

[5] In the spring, the corps transferred to the line of Vyborg and fought in the Vyborg–Petrozavodsk Offensive, capturing Uuras.

For his actions during the Vienna offensive, Tikhonov was awarded the title Hero of the Soviet Union[16] and the Order of Lenin on 29 June.

[17] In March 1957 he became the head of the department of general tactics and operational training at the Military-Engineering Red Banner Academy named for V.V.