Born on May 12, 1950 in Novgorod (now Veliky Novgorod).
Graduated from the Bonch-Bruevich Leningrad Electrotechnical Institute for Communications (now Bonch-Bruevich St. Petersburg State University of Telecommunications).
Served in Armed Forces. Employed as engineer at Vektor Research and Manufacturing Association in Leningrad (now St. Petersburg).
1977: began his career in state security bodies, starting as an operative at a department office of the Committee for State Security in the Leningrad region and eventually promoted to Deputy Director of the Federal Security Service.
1987-1988: commissioned to Afghanistan.
2000-2004: Deputy Head of the Administration of the President of the Russian Federation.
2004-May 2008: Aide to the President of the Russian Federation.
May 15, 2008: appointed Chief of Federal Drug Control Service by Presidential decree.
May 25, 2008: appointed member of the Security Council of the Russian Federation by Presidential decree.
State awards: Order of Service to the Fatherland, 4th class, and Order of Honor.
Married, with two children.