Yuri Ustinow was trained by his father Lev Ustinow-Ivanov (* 1920), he learned archery in Buryatia with the traditional bow of the country. Ustinow grew up in Ulan-Ude and has lived in Rybinsk since 1976 . He achieved his greatest success when he was at the European Championships in Archery Biathlon in Pokljuka in 2001 alongside Vladimir Fomitschow , Maxim Menshikov and Andrei Markov in the relay race and as the starting runner of the Russian relay with this behind the representation from France and in front Italy won the silver medal. It was Ustinov's only international medal win. Ustinow is married and has one son. He studied sports and education at the Buryat State University in Ulan-Ude and has been working as an archery trainer at the School of the Olympic Reserve № 10 ( СДЮСШОР №10 ) in Rybinsk since 1976 . He is also a referee in archery.