In the second book of his two-volume series “Kursk-43. How the Battle of the Titans was Prepared,” the famous scientist, candidate of historical sciences V.N. Zamulin reconstructs the process of formation of the plan and preparation by the military-political leadership of the USSR of the first stage of the Battle of the Arc of Fire - the Kursk defensive operation. Thanks to the involvement of a significant number of little-known and previously not introduced into scientific circulation documents, Soviet and captured, the author is able to reliably restore the hard work of the Headquarters of the Supreme High Command and the leadership of the fronts in the Kursk Bulge area. The Soviet defense plan and the system of measures for the restoration of the troops of the Central and Voronezh fronts after the battles in the winter of 1942-1943, and their strengthening before the summer campaign are revealed.