Vladimir Babichev was born on 11 January 1939 in Sadovoye village in northern Kalmyk ASSR, near the border with Volgograd Oblast.

In 1981 Vladimir Babichev graduated Academy of Social Studies of the Central Committee of CPSS, where he received Candidate of Historical Sciences degree.

There Babichev also met Viktor Chernomyrdin, at that time he was an instructor of heavy industry department of the Central Committee of CPSS and curated Astrakhan Gas Processing Plant's construction.

[2] On 18 March 1990 Vladimir Babichev was elected people's deputy of RSFSR from Priyutnoye national-territorial constituency No.107 in western Kalmykia.

Due to Babichev's election as people's deputy he was appointed Head of the Department of Legislative Initiatives and Legal Issues of the Central Committee of CPSS.

At the I Congress of People's Deputies of Russian SFSR (22 June 1990) Vladimir Babichev attacked newly-elected Chairman of the Supreme Soviet Boris Yeltsin and offered him to nominate Aleksandr Vlasov, Yeltin's opponent in chairmanship election, for Chairman of the Council of Ministers of RSFSR in order to "unite the divided Congress".

At the II Congress of People's Deputies (27 November — 15 December 1990) Babichev voted against the establishment of President of Russian SFSR position.

In September 1991 Vladimir Babichev received the job as deputy general director of Gazmash factory, a subsidiary of Gazprom, led by Viktor Chernomyrdin.

[4] During his service as Chief of Staff Babichev was widely regarded as an éminence grise due to his close relations with Chernomyrdin during their work in the Central Committee of CPSS and Gazprom.

In June 1995 Babichev gave an interview to Obshchaya Gazeta, where he claimed that he never was in opposition to Boris Yeltsin rather he disliked Yeltin's circle.

[7] In late July 1996 rumours floated that Yeltsin's aide Viktor Ilyushin would join the Government, replacing Babichev as Chief of Staff.

Babichev's project proposed to employ 20 federal ministers-politicians, who oversaw several sectoral ministries led by lower-tier ministers-professionals.

[9] On 26 October 1996 Babichev was appointed Co-Chairman of the Intergovernmental Commissions between Russian Federation and Slovakia and the Czech Republic for Trade and Economic, Scientific and Technological Cooperation.

[10] During 1997 future State Duma member Elmira Glubokovskaya worked in Babichev's office as deputy chief of his secretariat.

[11] On 23 March 1998 Boris Yeltsin dismissed Viktor Chernomyrdin from the position of Prime Minister and replaced him with Sergey Kirienko.

[17] In June 2003 longtime career diplomat Yury Merzlyakov announced his pending resignation from the position of Russian Ambassador to Kazakhstan, which he held since 1999.

So in December Maksyuta proposed the candidacy of Babichev, citing his extensive governmental work and close relations between the politicians.