Born in 1953.
Graduated from the translation department of the Philology Faculty at Leningrad State University, followed by USSR KGB higher courses in Minsk.
From 1981 to 1998 he progressed from agent in the First Chief Directorate of the USSR KGB to First Deputy Head of one of the directorates in the Foreign Intelligence Service of the Russian Federation.
He did three lengthy foreign tours of duty in the Scandinavian countries and in Africa.
After the reorganisation of the KGB he continued to work in the Foreign Intelligence Service of the Russian Federation, and then in the Federal Security Service of the Russian Federation (FSB).
In August 1998 he became Deputy Director of the FSB, and head of the FSB Department of Analysis, Forecasting and Strategic Planning.
On 15 November 1999 he became Secretary to the Security Council of the Russian Federation. Reserve Colonel-General.
On 28 March 2001 he became Minister of Defence of the Russian Federation.
On 14 November 2005 he became Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation and Minister of Defence of the Russian Federation.
On 16 February 2007 he was appointed First Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation.
On 12 May 2008 he became Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation.
On from 2011 to 2016 – Chief of Staff of the Presidential Executive Office.
From 12 August 2016 – Russia's Special Presidential Representative for Environmental Protection, Ecology and Transport.