Kryukov joined the Imperial Russian Army after the beginning of World War I, fighting on the Western Front and becoming an officer by his demobilization in December 1917.

Shortly after taking command of the corps, Kryukov met folk singer Lidia Ruslanova, whom he married soon afterwards.

From September he fought on the Western Front, initially serving as a platoon commander in the 26th Siberian Rifle Regiment.

He fought on the Southern Front against the Volunteer Army, taking part in battles in the area of Povorino, Uryupinsk, and several stanitsas in the Don Host Oblast.

In early December he was sent by the Ryazan military commissariat as a platoon commander in a separate cavalry battalion to the 2nd Rifle Division.

In March and April the battalion fought against the Whites in Siberia near Buguruslan, Sterlitamak, and Ufa, and later on the Southern Front against the Don Army in the Defense of Tsaritsyn.

In August as chief of a consolidated detachment of special purpose he took part in the suppression of anti-Soviet forces in the area of Nalchuk and the disarmament of stanitsas and auls near Vladikavkaz.

[1] In March 1931 he was transferred to serve as chief of the 1st section of the staff of the 6th Cavalry Division of the Belorussian Military District.

In October 1937 then-Colonel Kryukov was transferred to serve as a tactics instructor at the Red Banner Cavalry Commanders Improvement Courses in Novocherkassk.

In May 1940 then-Kombrig Kryukov was appointed commander of the 8th Rifle Brigade of the Leningrad Military District, based on the Hanko peninsula.

[1] After the end of the war, then-Lieutenant General Kryukov continued to command the corps in the Special Military District at Königsberg.

After the reduction of the corps to a division, Kryukov was appointed chief of the Budyonny Higher Officers Cavalry School in May 1946.

After completing the courses, Kryukov served as deputy chief of the Military Legal Academy for tactical and drill instruction.