Born in Kiev, Sipyagin graduated from the Judicial Department of St Petersburg University in 1876.

In 1899, during the Russian Student Strike, the government had given Sipyagin "the power of imposing military service as a punishment for acts of civil disobedience towards the University authorities, and themselves to appoint special committees, or rather Courts nominated ad hoc..."[1] He remained the interior minister from 20 October 1899 to 2 April 1902.

He was assassinated in the Mariinsky Palace by Socialist-Revolutionary Stepan Balmashov.

His death was a severe setback to Sergei Witte, the finance minister, who had been supported by Sipyagin but would be challenged by his successor, Vyacheslav von Plehve.

[2] Sipyagin received the Order of Saint Vladimir as an Imperial favour for the New Year 1900, shortly after accepting the position as Minister.