During the Russian Civil War, he joined the Red Army on 2 October 1918, being assigned to the 39th Rifle Regiment as its adjutant four days later.

Tsyganov became adjutant to the chief of the Nizhny Novgorod garrison on 24 December, and spent most of 1919 with the 8th Reserve Regiment in the city.

In this role, he fought against the Army of Wrangel on the Southern Front, and was wounded in the leg and contused in the stomach during the Perekop–Chongar Operation in November 1920.

[1] After the German invasion began in June 1941, Tsyganov served as deputy chief of staff of the Southwestern Main Direction's rear services in August and September, before taking command of 38th Army during its unsuccessful defense of Kharkov in late September and October.

Having served exclusively in staff and instruction roles during the interwar period, Tsyganov was an unlikely choice for high-level wartime field command.

Late on the 20th, LVII Panzer Corps had crossed the Mius and was driving the rearguards of 56th Army back towards the city.

In the following days Tsyganov ordered his forces to defend Rostov by manning the outer and inner defensive belts on the northern and eastern sectors.

These plans were undone by the rapid advance of the German tank forces and the premature withdrawal of 18th Army south of the Don.

56th Army was forced to withdraw as well, and after a bitter defense mainly by NKVD security troops Rostov-on-Don fell to the Germans for the second time on 27 July.