In June 2000, he was elected a deputy of Arkhangelsk Regional Assembly from Severodvinsk. Layer he resigned as a member of the Assembly moving to the staff of the Envoy in the North Western Federal District. From April 2003 to August 2004 Barinov was federal inspector for Nenets Autonomous Okrug.
In 2005, he was electedgovernor of Nenets Autonomous Okrug. On May 24, 2006, he was arrested[1] and on July 21 dismissed by President Vladimir Putin from his position. In September 2007, the Oktyabrsky Court of Arkhangelsk acquitted Barinov of all charges except for privatization of an apartment in Arkhangelsk given to him by Lukoil, for which he was sentenced to 3 years of suspended imprisonment.[2]