Attended the Academy of Arts in Riga and a preparatory school for pilots in Kremenchug; graduated with an honors diploma from the Chuguyev Higher Air Force School in 1957 and from the N.E. Zhukovskiy Air Force Engineering Academy in 1968; received a Candidate of Technical Sciences degree in 1981; Major General, Soviet Air Force; was selected as cosmonaut on 07.03.1960 (TsPK-1); OKP (cosmonaut basic training): 3/60 - 03.04.1991; first cosmonaut who performed an EVA; 1975 - 1982 Chief cosmonaut; Hobbies: Swimming, water-skiing, parachute jumping, photography, home built movies, hunting, painting and sketching; currently president of US-Investmentcorporation "Alpha Capital", Moscow.