Mikhail Popkov was born in Angarsk on 7 March 1964. Little is known about his upbringing and personal life beyond that he is married to Elena Popkova and has a daughter named Ekaterina. He worked as a police officer in the Irkutsk region, and by the time of his capture had also spent time as a security guard at the Angarsk Oil and Chemical Company, as well as at a private firm.[4]