- Born in the village of Bely, Leningrad District, Krasnodar Kray, on September 23, 1952.
- 1988
- He graduated from the Rostov-on-Don Agricultural Machine-Building Institute in 1974, from the Military-Political Academy in 1988 and from Legal Training Centre of the Armed Forces Humanities Academy in 1993.
- He began his working life in 1974, as an engineer-technologist at the Rubin Factory in Rostov-on-Don.
- 1975
- From 1975 to 1990, he held various commanding positions in the Soviet Armed Forces.
- 1990
- 1990 – 1991: Member and Secretary of the Russian Supreme Soviet’s Legislation Committee.
- In 1991, he was Chairman of the Russian Supreme Soviet’s Defence and Security Committee.
- In 1992, he was Head of the Section for Law Enforcement Agencies, Security and Defence Issues in the State-Legal Directorate of the President of the Russian Federation.
- 1992
- 1992 – 1993: Deputy Head and then Head of the Presidential State-Legal Directorate.
- 1993
- 1993 – 1994: Deputy Chairman of the State Committee for Federal Affairs and Nationalities.
- 1994
- 1994 –1996: Deputy Minister and State Secretary - Deputy Minister for Nationalities and Regional Policy.
- 1996
- 1996 – 2004: Presidential Plenipotentiary in the State Duma.
- Since 2004: Presidential Plenipotentiary at the Federation Council.
- He holds the title of Merited Lawyer of Russia and has a candidate degree in law.