Born to a peasant family on 11 June 1901 in the village of Sheremetyevka, Kanadeyevskoy volost, Syzransky Uyezd, Simbirsk Governorate, Baranov received three years of education.

[2] Joining the Zhlobin Revolutionary Regiment of the Red Army in March 1918, Baranov fought in battles against the White Orenburg Cossacks of Alexander Dutov.

As a platoon commander of the regiment, he fought on the Trans-Caspian Front against British troops and White forces from July.

After another transfer in December to the 4th Combined Military School in Tashkent, he fought against Basmachi in Ablyksky District between May and November 1923.

[2][3] Studying at the Novocherkassk Cavalry Commanders' Improvement Courses from 9 November 1929, Baranov returned to the 81st Regiment after completing them on 1 June 1930.

Sent to study at the Frunze Military Academy in June 1934, after graduation he became chief of the 1st section of the staff of the 18th Turkmen Mountain Cavalry Division in December 1937.

[2][3] After Operation Barbarossa began on 22 June 1941, Baranov led the division as part of the 9th Army of the Southern Front in battles on the Prut in the area of Cahul, Fălciu, and Leovo, and conducted a fighting retreat to Kotovsk, Voznesensk, Novaya Odessa, and subsequently to the Dnieper, Novomoskovsk, Bogodukhov, Belgorod, and Korocha.

[2] After the end of the war, Baranov was placed at the disposal of the Personnel Department of the Commander-in-Chief of the Cavalry of the Red Army in August 1946, and a month later appointed commander of the 14th Guards Rifle Corps of the Kiev Military District.