Dr Sokov has a Ph.D. from the University of Michigan (1996) and (the Soviet equivalent of a Ph.D.) Candidate of Historical Sciences degree from the Institute of World Economy and International Relations (1986). He graduated from Moscow State University in 1981.
In 1981, Dr Sokov worked at the Institute of US and Canadian Studies and the Institute of World Economy and International Relations in Moscow. From 1987-92 he worked at the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of the Soviet Union and later Russia, and participated in START I and START II negotiations as well as in a number of summit and ministerial meetings.
He has published extensively on international security and arms control.
