Radik Khanafin was born in 1969. He graduated from the Academic Music Secondary School at the Moscow Conservatory in 1988 (G.A. Dubrova's class) and the Gnessins Music Academy in 1993 (Professor Vyacheslav Trushin's class).

In 1990-1993, he was the concertmaster of the viola group of the Russian Camerata Chamber Orchestra. In 1993-2008, he played in the State Academic Chamber Orchestra of Russia where he became a soloist and the concertmaster of the viola group.

In 2008, he joined the National Philharmonic Orchestra of Russia.

He had taught in the Gnessins Music School and Academy of Music. Since 2003, he has been teaching at the Central Music School – Academy of Performing Arts.