As the son of artillery major general Nikolai Dmitrievich Promtov, he was educated at the Petrovsky Poltava Military Gymnasium.

For the difference in combat training, he was promoted to major general in 1911 with the appointment of commander of the 32nd artillery brigade.

On November 2, 1914, he was appointed commander of the 82nd Infantry Division, which was part of the troops besieging the fortress of Przemysl.

Keller, was entrusted with the pursuit of the retreating southern group of the 7th Austro-Hungarian army.

On June 10, 1916, the Promtov corps occupied Suceava, capturing 27 officers, 1235 lower ranks, and 27 machine guns.

In December 1917, at the initiative of the Military Revolutionary Committee, with the participation of S. V. Petlyura, Promtov was removed from the post of army commander.

In the autumn of 1919, he commanded the 2nd Army Corps of the All-Union Federal League of Justice.

After successful battles with the Petliurists during the general retreat, the SSYUR withdrew from the Fastov - Bila Tserkva area to the Znamenka - Nikopol line.

Instead of crossing the Dnieper in the rear of the 14th Soviet Army and going to the Crimea to join the corps, Ya.

Promtov, carrying out the order, led the 2nd Army Corps to the city already left by the white troops.

In July 1920, together with the remaining officers, he was sent from the camp to the Crimea, where he was appointed to the command of the commander-in-chief of the Russian Army, General Pyotr Wrangel.