- Born on April 10, 1965, in the village of Oktyabrskoye in the East Kazakhstan region.
- Graduated from Leningrad State University in 1987.
- 1987-2001
- In 1987-2001 he worked in the prosecution agencies, having started his career in the prosecutor’s office of Leningrad and moving up to the position of deputy prosecutor of St Petersburg and head of the investigative department.
- 2001-2003
- In 2001-2003 Nikolai Vinnichenko served as chief federal inspector for St Petersburg in the office of the Presidential Plenipotentiary Envoy to the Northwestern Federal District.
- 2003-2004
- In 2003-2004 he was appointed prosecutor-general for St Petersburg.
- 2004-2008
- In 2004-2008 he served as head of the Federal Bailiff Service and Chief Bailiff of the Russian Federation.
- 2008-2011
- In 2008-2011 served as Presidential Plenipotentiary Envoy to the Urals Federal District.
- 2011-2013
- In 2011-2013 served as Presidential Plenipotentiary Envoy to the Northwestern Federal District.