He worked at the Voronezh mining equipment plant, now "Rudgormash", where he rose to the position of general director.
[4] Kalashnikov became the first Head of Administration in post-Soviet Russia to be sacked by Boris Yeltsin after only five months in office.
The president dismissed him for "serious violations committed in the distribution of passenger cars intended for the suppliers of grain and agricultural products, as well as the use of his official position for personal gain."
In 1991, the Government of Russia ordered the distribution of cars among peasants, trying to somehow interest them in their work due to the critical situation with the provision of food.
As cars were not yet freely sold at that time, reselling performed by the Kalashnikov administration was considered illegal.