[2] Lytvyn was born on 8 March 1961, to a peasant family in the village of Sloboda-Romanivska in Novohrad-Volynskyi Raion (Zhytomyr Oblast).

In 1980–84 he studied at the Higher Military Political College of Engineer Troops and Forces of Communication in Donetsk.

In 1984–90 Lytvyn was stationed in the Transcaucasian Military District[3] (Azerbaijan SSR) serving in the 104th Guards Airborne Division.

On 14 July 2001, Lytvyn was appointed the commander of the Internal Troops of Ukraine,[5] yet in four months on 12 November, 2001 he was appointed the chief of Border Troops,[6] a state committee which in 2003 was transformed into an independent state service headed by Lytvyn.

"Release Mykola Mykhailovych Lytvyn from the post of Head of the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine," – said in the decree.