Born February 7, 1946 In 1968 he graduated from the Odessa School of Artillery.
In 1975 he graduated from the Military Academy. Frunze, in 1984 - Academy of General Staff of the Armed Forces of the USSR.
Service in the armed forces began in the position of commander of a platoon of anti-tank battery in the Parachute Regiment.
In 1975, after graduating from the Military Academy of Frunze was appointed deputy commander of the regiment.
Since 1977 - the regimental commander.
Since 1979 - deputy division commander.
Since 1984 - the division commander.
In 1987 he was appointed first deputy commander, and in 1988 - commander of the army.
Since 1989 - Chief of Staff, first deputy commander of the Far Eastern Military District.
In 1991-1992 - commander of the Moscow Military District.
10 June 1992 was appointed Deputy Minister of Defense of Russia.
Dossier on Toporkova VM