After graduating from the Faculty of Management of the Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology in 1983, he served in the strategic missile forces of the USSR.

Ivan Davydov, former director of Internet projects development for Expert Magazine, described Fadeyev as "a tragic figure in his own way, who shows what cooperation with the authorities can turn an intelligent and talented person into.

Until November 2019 Valery Fadeyev was a member of the Supreme Council of the United Russia party[5] and deputy coordinator of its liberal platform.

[6] From October 2014 to June 2016 Fadeyev was the host of "Structure of the Moment" socio-political talk show on Channel One Russia.

[9] In his interview to the magazine "Russian Reporter" after being elected secretary of the Civic Chamber, Fadeyev stated that the activists who are opposing the government are "not our partners."