Born on January 31, 1953, in Leningrad (now St Petersburg). 

Graduated from the Translation Department of the Philology Faculty of Leningrad State University, and from Higher Courses of the KGB (Minsk).

1981-1998: climbed from detective officer of the First Chief Directorate of the KGB to First Deputy Head of a department in the Foreign Intelligence Service of Russia.

Served on three long missions abroad in Scandinavia and Africa.

Following the KGB reorganisation, continued his career in the Foreign Intelligence Service and then in the Federal Security Service of Russia.

August 1998: Deputy FSB Director - Head of Analysis, Forecasting and Strategic Planning.

November 15, 1999: Secretary of Russia's Security Council; Colonel General (Ret.)

March 28, 2001: Defence Minister of Russia.

November 14, 2005: Deputy Prime Minister - Defence Minister of Russia.

February 16, 2007: appointed First Deputy Prime Minister of Russia by a presidential decree.

May 12, 2008: appointed Deputy Prime Minister of Russia.

Fluent in English and Swedish.

Married, with two children.