Eugene Sokolov is an agent with the Russian EMERCOM.
That agency is officially known as the Ministry of the Russian Federation for Affairs for Civil Defense, Emergencies and elimination of Consequences of Natural Disasters. Or more simply, the Ministry of Emergency Situations, or even simpler, EMERCOM. It was established by Boris Yeltsin and, according to Wikipedia, "one school of thought traces the origins of the agency to December 27, 1990, when the RSFSR established the Russian Rescue Corps and assigned it the mission of rapid response in the case of emergencies".
At times of catastrophes that required instant deployment of the finest specialists to any corner of the globe, EMERCOM relied on its Rapid Response Teams. They were the Ministry’s elite.
Sokolov was one of those specialists. His area of expertise was in rescue operations and in that regard, he could easily be considered one of the very best in the business. In fact, he was the leader of EMERCOM'S primary Rapid Response Team, one that tackled the worst disasters around the world.
Sokolov is single, or married to his work. His father died two decades ago as a protestor against Yeltsin and his dismissal of the Russian Constitution. His mother has raised Sokolov and his brother Constantine but she had passed away a few years back. And Constantine had vanished, forced to live in exile in Western Europe. Not having family likely caused him to throw himself into his work even more and by the results he routinely obtains, he studied well.