Born on February 21, 1952, in Tsebrikovo, Odessa Region, Ukraine. 

1973: graduated from the Railway Corps and Military Transport School, Leningrad (now St Petersburg).

1983: graduated from the Military Logistics Support and Transport Academy with a degree in Railway Engineering.

1973-1976: served on the Transdnestr Railway in the Odessa Military District.

1976-1980: served in the South Army Group.

1983-1985: Military Commandant of a railway section and Urgal station on the Baikal-Amur railway line (BAM).

1984: took part in driving the Golden Spike, when eastern and western sections of the BAM were linked.

1985-1994: Section Military Commandant, Head of a Military Transport Department and Deputy Head of Military Transport on the Moscow Railway.

1996-2004: employed at SeverStalTrans.

1998: Deputy CEO of SeverStalTrans; supervised the transport engineering sector, railway transport and seaport operations.

March 9, 2004: appointed Transport and Communications Minister.

May 20, 2004: appointed Transport Minister.

Was a member of the Public Council of the Government Commission for the Railway Transport Reform.

Married, with a daughter.