Born on May 21, 1955 in Chadan, Republic of Tuva.
Graduated from the Krasnoyarsk Polytechnic Institute (1977) with a degree in Construction Engineering.
General of the Army, Hero of the Russian Federation.
1977-1978: a foreman at the Promkhimstroy Construction Trust, Krasnoyarsk.
1978-1979: a foreman, section head at the Tuvinstroy Construction Trust, Kyzyl.
1979-1984: construction supervisor, chief engineer, director of the Achinskaluminystroy Construction Trust, Achinsk.
1984-1985: Deputy Head of the Sayanaluminystroy Construction Trust, Sayanogorsk.
1985-1986: Head of the Sayantyazhstroy Trust, Abakan.
1986-1988: Head of the Abakanvagonstroy railroad car manufacturing facility, Abakan.
1988-1989: second secretary of the Abakan City Communist Party Committee, Abakan.
1989-1990: an inspector at the Krasnoyarsk Territory Communist Party Committee, Krasnoyarsk.
1990-1991: Deputy Chairman of the RSFSR State Committee for Architecture and Construction, Moscow.
1991: Chairman of the Russian Rescue Corps, Moscow.
1991: Chairman of the RSFSR State Committee for Emergencies, Moscow.
1994: appointed Minister of Civil Defence, Emergencies and Disaster Relief.
January 2000: Deputy Prime Minister - Minister of Civil Defence, Emergencies and Disaster Relief.
May 18, 2000: appointed Minister of Civil Defence, Emergencies, and Disaster Relief.
State awards: Commendations from the President (1993 and 1999), a Certificate of Merit from the Government (2000), Order of Service to the Fatherland, 3rd Class, (2005), and Commendation from the Government (2005).
Merited Rescuer of the Russian Federation (2005).