Vladimir Baranovsky was born in Helsinki, formerly known as Helsingfors. He was the son of the Russian engineer and inventor Stepan Ivanovich Baranovsky, who lived from 1817 to 1890.

From 1867, Vladimir worked at the Nobel factory in St. Petersburg, where he focused on improving Gatling guns. In 1877, he, along with his cousin Peter Viktorovich Baranovsky, founded a factory in St. Petersburg for the production of artillery tubes and cartridge cases. This factory later became known as the "Mechanical and Cartridge Factory of the heirs of P. V. Baranovsky," and is now OJSC "Kompressor."

In 1872 and 1875, Baranovsky developed a 63.5-mm rapid-fire gun with a unitary cartridge. His field artillery was used in the Russo-Turkish War of 1877-1878, and the landing gun was employed during the suppression of the Boxer Rebellion and in the Russo-Japanese War of 1904-1905. These guns featured innovations such as a piston bolt with a self-cocking striker, a safety device, a unitary cartridge, a percussion ignition method, a recoilless carriage, and an optical sight.

Additionally, Baranovsky created a machine for assembling unitary cartridges, which became widely used. He is also known for his inventions in other areas of technology, such as a drainage machine for gold mines and a hydro-pulverizer.

Together with his father, Stepan Ivanovich, he built a submarine. Vladimir Stepanovich Baranovsky tragically died at an artillery range near St. Petersburg due to a misfire during the testing of new unitary cartridges for the rapid-fire gun, which had been returned from the war. He is buried in the village of Kulikovo.