He is a former Soviet OMON special police major and Riga police deputy chief of criminal investigation. He served as Riga OMON commander in 1990–1991. In August 1990, Antyufeyev was one of the organizers of a meeting of the Latvian MVD where some 80% of the Latvian police force made a decision not to recognize the Popular Front of Latvia government and follow the Constitution of the Soviet Union instead. These police forces would later be involved in the KGB-led failed pro-unity coup attempt in January 1991. For these actions the Latvian government accused Antyufeyev of "crimes against the state" in August 1991. He says he fled to Moscow two hours before he was to be arrested.