[4] He was born in Sofia, the capital of Bulgaria, in a family of Russian emigrants.

Graduated from Taras Shevchenko Kyiv National University, faculty of Romano-Germanic philology (1972–77) , where he studied under Kostiantyn Tyshchenko guidance.

In 1977–1980, he was a laboratory assistant at the Department of Languages, a teacher of French at the Kyiv Conservatory.

[5][6] In 1980–1987, he was a correspondent, reviewer of the industrial and economic editorial office, Radio and Telegraph Agency of Ukraine (RATAU).

In the fall of 2007, he headed the magazine "Ukrainian Week", left the position of editor-in-chief in September 2009, and since then has been a permanent columnist of the publication.