[1][2] He was born on 14 March 1961 in Rzhavka, a section of the Minsk region of the Byelorussian SSR, which is modern-day Belarus.

In 1982, he graduated from the Ulyanovsk Guards Higher Tank Command School.

From June 2015, he served as the head of the Main Combat Training Directorate of the Belarusian Armed Forces.

On 12 January 2016, Potapenko was appointed Deputy Minister of Defence by order of a presidential decree.

[3][4][5] He was put under sanctions by Lithuania over his role in suppressing the 2020 Belarusian protests.