 In December 1941 Herasymenko was appointed the commander of Stalingrad Military District.In September 1942 - November 1943 he commanded the 28th Army that participated in the Rostov operation and the Melitopol Offensive as well as the Donbas Strategic Offensive.In January 1944 Herasymenko was appointed the commander of Kharkiv Military District forces, but already in March 1944 he was appointed the commander of Kiev Military District and the People's Commissar of Defense of the Ukrainian SSR.