In November 1926 he was transferred to the Central Asian Military District as commander of the 3rd Turkestan Rifle Division.

In February 1937, he was appointed commander of the 57th Rifle Division in the Ural Military District.

He was allowed back in the Red Army and became senior lecturer, and since January 1941, head of the Department of General Tactics at the Frunze Military Academy.

At the outbreak of the Great Patriotic War, Tsvetaev became a member of the staff of the 7th Army of the Northern Front in Karelia.

For the skilful leadership of his troops, Colonel-General Tsvetaev Vyacheslav Dmitrievich was awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union, with the award of the Order of Lenin and the Gold Star Medal.