Mr. Strashko graduated from the Ural Polytechnic Institute with a mechanical engineer degree in 1969. His government career took off with the position of the deputy for the regional representative of the president of the Russian Federation. He then went on to become deputy minister of the external economic relations. In 1992 he was appointed the first deputy minister of the internal affair; then transferred to become the first deputy minister of trade; and soon became the deputy minister of the economic development and trade. Currently, Mr. Strashko serves as the Vice President of the Russian Chamber of Commerce.