[1][2] Kisel was born in 1971 and is a graduate of the Tashkent Higher Tank Command School, the Combined Arms Academy of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, and the General Staff Academy.

[3] In the early 2010s he commanded the 19th Separate Motor Rifle Brigade of the 58th Army, stationed in North Ossetia, before being appointed the chief of staff and first deputy commander of the 20th Army in September 2016.

[5] During the early Russian invasion of Ukraine Kisel was relieved of command, and was sent to Syria in May 2022.

[1] He became commander of the Operational Group of the Russian Armed Forces in Syria in November 2023.

[1][2] There were reports by Russian military bloggers in early December 2024 that he was relieved of command of forces in Syria after the fall of Aleppo to Syrian opposition forces, and replaced by Colonel General Aleksandr Chaiko, though the Russian Ministry of Defense has not publicly commented on the matter.