A longtime pro-Russian activist, he voted against the ratification of the Ukrainian declaration of independence in 1991 while serving as a member of the Ukrainian Supreme Soviet, which was then succeeded by the Verkhovna Rada.

As an experienced member of the council, he was chosen by his successors as their deputy several times.

He graduated from the Medical Crimean Federal University, before pursuing a career in politics.

Tsekov was a key player on the Supreme Council of Crimea in the events following the 2014 Ukrainian Revolution, during which he refused to recognise the legitimacy of the new government that came to power and successfully pushed for the peninsula's integration with Russia.

[5] Tsekov took office as a Russian Federation Senator in 2014 after being appointed to represent his region by the Supreme Council.