Vorotnikov was born in Voronezh,[1] and in 1940 entered a local Aviation Industry community college, majoring in aircraft engine technology.

After the Soviet Union entered World War II and adult workers left for the Red Army service, 16-year-old Vitaly took a job at the Voronezh Steam Locomotive Repair plant.

Soon the front line approached the city, and he was evacuated to Kuybyshev, where he spent most of the war working for Kuibyshev aviation plant No.

After occupying a number of positions of regional importance in Russia's Kuybyshev and Voronezh Oblasts for almost 20 years, he served as the Soviet ambassador to Cuba from 1979 to 1982.

[3] After being recalled from Cuba when Brezhnev died and a short stint in charge of the Communists of Krasnodar Krai,[2] Vorotnikov was finally brought to Moscow, where he was to occupy the top positions in the government of the RSFSR.