The main problems confronted the Soviet administrative bodies and the Red Army Command during the defending towns of the Central Chernozem zone against the enemy troops were analyzed using the extensive archival materials and documents. The author discovered the key problems of formation, training and equipment of the pursuit battalions and the participation of fighters in the combat operations against the enemy troops. Based on the survey, the role and importance of the pursuit battalions participating jointly with the regular army units in the military defence of Voronezh and Kursk, is shown.