Platov was born in 1946 in Ovechkino, Sobinsky District, central Russia, to a family of shepherd.

[4] In December 1995, he won the first gubernatorial election in Tver Oblast, gaining 50.5% of the vote cast.

[2] In 1999–2000 election, Platov narrowly defeated Communist Vladimir Bayunov and won his second four-year term.

At the same time he acted as a "locomotive" candidate for Unity party in 1999 legislative election (locomotive here means a locally or countrywide known person who runs for seat in parliament only to attract votes for specific party).

[3] In September 2003, Platov and his deputy Alexander Kotlyar were charged with abuse of office, "resulting in significant damage to the regional budget" estimated at 463 million rubles.