OpFor/Ultranationalists/Inner Circle
The primary opposition across all three games, made up of three primary factions: The Ultranationalists, OpFor, and the Inner Circle.
OpFor refers to the Middle Eastern revolutionary movement led by warlord Khaled Al-Asad. Al-Asad is collaborating with the Ultranationalist party by drawing the attention of the United States away from the Russian civil war through their own uprising. The Ultranationalists return their favor with Russian nuclear weapons.
The Ultranationalist party is a Russian political faction founded by nuclear proliferator Imran Zakhaev. The groups consists of hardcore nationalists dedicated to rebuilding Russia's power and turning it against perceived enemies, and are engaged in a civil war with the Russian government in Modern Warfare.
By the second game, the Ultranationalist party had taken power in Russia, but were split by Zakhaev's death, with Russian president Boris Vorshevsky controlling the more moderate faction of the new Russian government, while Vladimir Makarov heads the much more violent and radical faction known as the Inner Circle. The OpFor, meanwhile, has been reduced to an insurgent group fighting a mostly guerilla war in Afghanistan, still battling US forces in the Middle East.
During the events of the third game, the Ultranationalists, after their initial invasion of the US, are driven out following a major defeat in New York City, and are forced into a hasty retreat. Two months later, President Boris Vorshevsky, leader of the moderate Ultranationist faction, hopes to make peace with the US government. Makarov, however, has other plans...
Imran Zakhaev, Imran's son Viktor Zakhaev, Khaled Al-Asad and Vladimir Makarov were collectively referred as the Four Horsemen, due to their extreme threat to the peaceful world.
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The Four Horsemen
Khaled Al-Asad
Khaled Al-Asad
Al-Asad in Modern Warfare.
Al-Asad in Modern Warfare Remastered.
"هكذا ابتدأت (This is how it begins.)"
Voiced by: Gabriel Al-Rajhi (MW1)
Leader of the uprising in the unnamed Middle-eastern nation in the first Modern Warfare and co-conspirator with Imran Zakhaev. He has in his possession a nuclear weapon, which he apparently detonates during an American police action in his home country and wipes out the entire invasion force.
- Authority Equals Asskicking: Averted. When the player confronts him, he goes down pretty easily.
- Boom, Headshot!: Price blows his brains out after subjecting him to a Jack Bauer Interrogation Technique.
- Co-Dragons: To Zakhaev, with Zakhaev's son, and later Makarov, as revealed in 3.
- The Coup: Stages one during the titular level, where he executes President Al-Fulani on live TV.
- Dirty Coward: He is explicitly called this by Nikolai when he explains how he knows that Al-Asad is still alive after nuking his own capital. Surprisingly, he's one of the few enemies who doesn't break under Price's Jack Bauer Interrogation Technique, although this is mostly because Zakhaev screwed himself by calling him at the worst time possible before the interrogation could get too serious.
- Disc-One Final Boss: A great deal of Act I is spent trying to take down Al-Asad. He dies in the first mission of Act II, allowing Imran Zakhaev to take center-stage.
- Foreshadowing: In "The Coup", when Imran Zakhaev pulls out a Desert Eagle and aims it at Al-Asad, you can see him hesitate as if going through an internal Oh, Crap!, before Zakhaev flips the gun around for him to use. Not only does this demonstrate who's really in charge, but it also showcases that for all of his bluster in trying to take over his nation, Al-Asad is a Dirty Coward when faced with a potential direct threat.
- Hate Sink: Al-Asad is nothing more than a tyrannical and cowardly dictator who let Makarov nuke his own capital. Yeah, no likability there.
- Hypocrite: Accuses President Al-Fulani of being a puppet who places the desires of the Western Powers before his own people, despite the fact that he himself is a puppet of Zakhaev, and that he executed innocent civilians and detonated a nuke in his own country to fake his death.
- Ironic Death: He executed a restrained Al-Fulani, and is later restrained and executed himself by Price.
- Karmic Death: The first act he commits is executing President Al-Fulani (on live television, no less). Al-Asad himself meets his end when Price executes him unceremoniously after subjecting him to some Jack Bauer Interrogation Technique beforehand.
- Middle Eastern Terrorists: He's the leader of one such group, who take over and then rule the country they're in with an iron fist.
- Nuke 'em: Apparently does this to the entire Marine task force in the first Modern Warfare. Later revealed to have been at the behest of Makarov, who ordered the nuclear detonation.
- Pay Evil unto Evil: Becomes the victim of this. Price's interrogation to him would border on cruel, but Al-Asad is such a monster that it is completely justified.
- Pre-Mortem One-Liner: Before executing Al-Fulani:"This is how it begins."
- President Evil: Of the unnamed Middle Eastern country, replacing Al-Fulani (whom he executed personally).
- Rebel Leader: Of the OpFor.
- The Revolution Will Not Be Civilized: During Al-Asad's coup, his men use innocent civilians as target practice.
- Small Role, Big Impact: He may be a crux of the plot of the first Modern Warfare, but he only appears in person twice before Price puts a bullet in his skull. Yet the things he did would have grand, sweeping consequences for the sequels going forward, directly causing General Shepherd's twisted motivations, which would lead to Russia's invasion of the United States and so forth.
- Sinister Shades: Never seen without them, except as he's beaten up and then executed by Price.
- Smug Snake: He loses this as Price beats him and then kills him.
- Starter Villain: Al-Asad lasts only halfway through the first game, and the remnants of his forces comprise the opposition in only two missions in the second game.
- Taking You with Me: The world at large thinks he pulled this by detonating the nuclear bomb, but he actually fled to Azerbaijan.
- Token Minority: The only non-Russian among the Four Horsemen (though Zakhaev is implied to be ethnically non-Russian, he's still a citizen of the Russian Federation).
- Unwitting Pawn:
- Really, his entire role was to draw the US's attention away from the civil war in Russia. The nuclear bomb that he used on the Marines was actually set off by Makarov, to both kill American troops and keep the blame pinned on Al-Asad.
- The very first moment that you see him in the flesh confirms Al-Asad's status as a pathetic puppet of the Ultranationalists. Al-Asad, in his own country, surrounded by his own men, walks up to Zakhaev, who points a pistol in his face, and Al-Asad stops like a deer trapped in the headlights. Zakhaev then casually spins the pistol around and hands it to Al-Asad, as if saying "now go kill Al-Fulani like a good dog." And he does as the master commands.
Imran Zakhaev
Imran Zakhaev
Zakhaev in Modern Warfare.
Zakhaev in Modern Warfare Remastered.
"Our so-called leaders prostituted us to the west...Destroyed our culture...Our economies...Our honor. Our blood has been spilled on our soil."
Voiced by: Yevgeni Lazarev (English)note
Leader of the Ultranationalists in the first Modern Warfare. He founded the Ultranationalists party through funds he acquired through nuclear proliferation. The SAS attempted to assassinate him in 1996 at Chernobyl because he was dealing spent nuclear fuel rods to terrorists; during the assassination attempt, his arm was blown off by Price, though he survived.
Despite dying at the end of the first game, he becomes a martyr and serves as a rallying point for the Ultranationalist Russians.
- Age Lift: The remastered edition makes him look substantially older, including giving him a white beard when the original had it still dark.
- An Arm and a Leg: He was disarmed by then-Lt. Price, using a Barrett M82A1 way back in '96. Surprisingly, it didn't kill him.
- Arms Dealer: Back in the day, he was a black market arms dealer and used these profits to create a new Ultranationalist movement.
- Bald of Evil: Might be caused by his tendency to hang around radioactive areas.
- Balls of Steel: Assisted only by two men, he takes on a loyalist helicopter with just a desert eagle despite having only one arm, keeping his cool demeanor and never once taking cover.
- Beard of Evil: He's a villain with a goatee.
- Big Bad: He's the main villain of the first installment.
- The Cameo: He appears briefly in 3 during a flashback set in Pripyat, showing from the Ultranationalist perspective the attempt on his life and subsequent escape.
- Chekhov's Gunman: That old guy scowling at you in "The Coup"? Guess who.
- Death by Disfigurement: Subverted. His arm was blown off by Price, but he survives thanks to the intervention of Makarov and Yurinote , until Soap shoots him at the ending.
- Disc-One Final Boss: For the series as a whole. He's killed in the first game, leaving him a martyr for the Ultranationalist cause and allowing his even more dangerous protégé Makarov to take his place.
- Disproportionate Retribution / Nuke 'em: His response to his son's death.
- Establishing Character Moment: The first time you see him is in "The Coup", when he points a pistol directly at Al-Asad before flipping it around to offer it to him, showing exactly where the power in their relationship lies.
- Even Evil Has Loved Ones: Arguably his one redeeming feature is his father-son relationship with Viktor. Zakhaev genuinely loves his son and goes on a long rant and Roaring Rampage of Revenge when he finds out he's been killed.
- Evil Sounds Deep: During his speech, his voice is revealed to be very deep and gravelly. It also goes without mentioning that this guy is pure bad news.
- Hero Killer: Shoots Gaz point-blank in the head late in the first game.
- He Who Must Not Be Seen: Nobody knows that he is involved in the conflict until Price answers the call on Al-Asad's phone. Gaz even calls him "a ghost" during the briefing for Sins of the Father to further highlight that Imran's done a pretty good job to avoid being detected for 15 years.
- No Celebrities Were Harmed: His ideology and parts of his style were based off Russian nationalist historian Gejdar Dzhemal.
- Middle Eastern Terrorists: He's certainly associated with them, but also sports a Muslim first name himself, so he might hail from the Russian Caucasus.
- Only a Flesh Wound: He was able to survive for 15 years after Price blew his arm off.
- Papa Wolf: He does not take his son's suicide well.My blood... on their hands. All US and British forces will leave Russia immediately... or suffer the consequences.
- Predecessor Villain: He casts his shadow over the next two: Makarov carries over in his stead, General Shepherd is motivated by the nuking of the Marine task force, and the outcomes of their plots triggers a US-Russian war.
- Renegade Russian: To the old Russian democratic government. In a subversion, his death makes him a martyr, which then pushes a much more iron-fisted Ultranationalist government to replace them, which posthumously "un-Renegade'd" him.
- The Quiet One: Throughout the whole Modern Warfare series, he is only seen speaking twice; when he gives a speech in Ultimatum and when he attempts to strike a bargain deal in Yuri's flashback with a dealer.
- Soft-Spoken Sadist: In his speech, the first and only time we hear him talk in the original, he speaks in a very calm, deep and almost emotionless tone. The result is quite creepy.
- Why Don't Ya Just Shoot Him?: Played straight in the first game, when Soap shoots him on the bridge thanks to the timely distraction of a Loyalist helicopter flyby. Deconstructed in the second, where the Ultranationalists portray him as a martyr gunned down by evil Westerners while fighting the corrupt government.
Viktor Zakhaev
Viktor Zakhaev
V. Zakhaev in Modern Warfare Remastered.
"You will all die soon anyway..."
Voiced by: Jordan Marder (English)note
Imran Zakhaev's son, and a major Ultranationalist leader.
- Better to Die than Be Killed: With the SAS, Marines and the Spetsnaz on his rear, he shoots himself in the head to avoid capture and interrogation.
- The Brute: He's the Ultranationalist's field leader, and by extension the direct leader of the terrorists the SAS fights, though he doesn't do much planning, at least onscreen.
- Co-Dragons: With Al-Asad and Makarov, to his father.
- Expy: Pretty much Cold Sniper Sasha Ivanic from Behind Enemy Lines, right down to the tracksuit.
- Lower-Class Lout: Has a bit of a gopnik vibe, especially due to his tracksuit, even though he is not lower class at all.
- No Celebrities Were Harmed: He looks strangely like a young punk version of Jean Reno.
- Overlord Jr.: He's Zakhaev's son, and just as evil.
- The Quiet One: He only speaks twice (at the beginning of "The Coup" and at the end of "Sins of the Father"), both in Russian.
- Rebel Leader: Field commander of The Ultranationalist forces during the Second Russian Civil War.
- Sins of Our Fathers: The protagonists go after him to lure his dad out. It doesn't end well. Lampshaded by both Gaz and Griggs. Justified in that even without his father's sins he is a high ranking Ultranationalist member with valuable intel.
Vladimir Makarov
Vladimir Makarov
Makarov in Modern Warfare 2 Remastered.
"Our enemies believe that they alone dictate the course of history, but all it takes is the will of a single man."
Voiced by: Roman Varshavsky (English)note
A ruthless Russian terrorist who leads a radical, distinct Ultranationalist faction known as the Inner Circle, and the primary villain of the Modern Warfare trilogy. Originally a loyal supporter of Zakhaev's mission, he defects from the ruling Ultranationalist party because their methods were too mild to suit his purposes. Described by Shepherd as a "whore" who sells himself to the highest bidder, Makarov is willing to commit atrocities to further his goals of expanding Russia and conquering the world. By his own words, "Russia will take all of Europe, even if it must stand upon a pile of ashes."
His first proper appearance is in Modern Warfare 2, where he heads up a False Flag Operation that triggers the Russian invasion of the US, during which he massacred through a Russian airport. By Modern Warfare 3, he had stepped up his actions as the Russo-American war draws to an end, planning to create an even larger war in Europe, fully plunging the world into World War III.
- Arch-Enemy: Makarov has made a lot of enemies throughout the trilogy, with the below standing out the most.
- Captain John Price is arguably the one person Makarov hates the most, having him locked up in the Russian Gulag for three years. The feeling is very much mutual for Price, especially after Makarov kills Soap, and has made killing him his number one priority.
- Also Yuri who Nikolai said is the only person who hates Makarov more than Price. Once friends, Yuri has seen Makarov commit countless atrocities and tries to prevent him from causing the airport massacre only for Makarov to leave Yuri for dead. Like Price, Yuri made it his sole focus to kill Makarov for all the bloodshed that he committed.
- Asshole Victim: His death was painful, slow and 100% deserved.
- Ax-Crazy: Not blatant about this side of himself, but underneath his stoic facade is a sadistic warmonger who cares little about killing everyone before him if he profits from it.
- Badass in a Nice Suit: The only time he's not seen in a nice suit are in the flashbacks before he becomes the Ultranationalists' new leader. He seems to hate ties though. Somewhat subverted in whilst he can hold his own in a firefight he doesn't stand a chance when Price gets his hands on him.
- Big Bad: Of 3, but he'd been a major (if unseen) player much earlier. He saved Zakhaev after he was shot, he personally triggered the nuclear detonation in al-Asad's capital, and he masterminded the entire Russian invasion of Europe.
- Big Bad Ensemble: With General Shepherd in Modern Warfare 2.
- Big Bad Wannabe: Subverted. At the end of Modern Warfare 2, he comes off as a legitimate threat who happens to be outfoxed and eclipsed in danger by General Shepherd. However, Modern Warfare 3 makes it clear he has much greater resources than anyone thought and was playing Shepherd like a fiddle, and he becomes the undisputed Big Bad of the trilogy.
- Big "NO!": Just as you, as Captain Price, have given Makarov the beating of his life, wrapped a cable around his neck, and smashed the glass under him, he lets one out...before it gets cut short by his sudden stop.
- The Cameo: He appears in the Modern Warfare Remastered version of "One Shot, One Kill" (in the same location shown in the flashback of Modern Warfare 3), and killing him nets you an achievement for creating a time paradox.
- Chekhov's Gunman: He was the first horseman on the picture seen in the first Modern Warfare, crossed out for being presumed dead in the nuclear explosion.
- The Chessmaster: 3 makes it apparent that he made the whole mess that is World War III, down to manipulating fellow conspirator Gen. Shepherd directly and indirectly via him ordering the nuclear detonation in the Middle East and helping him start the war.
- Co-Dragons: Revealed to be one for Zakhaev alongside Victor and Al-Asad during the first game (he's the crossed-out man in the photo during the loading screen featuring the Four Horsemen together), when it's revealed in 3 that he detonated the nuclear weapon in the Middle East.
- The Coup: He manages to gain the influence of most of the Russian military by the third game. It comes full-circle when he captures President Vorshevsky and effectively runs the show from there.
- Create Your Own Villain: Through detonating the nuke that killed the entire Marine battalion in the first Modern Warfare, he helped turned General Shepherd into a fellow villain as a result, which would have made Shepherd's attempt to kill Makarov a Hoist by His Own Petard, if not for the implication that Makarov had planned ahead and allowed Soap and Price to off him in his stead.
- Dark Is Evil: Commonly seen with black or dark colored clothing.
- Defector from Decadence: Inverted. Unlike most examples, Makarov's reasons for leaving the ruling Ultranationalist party and the creation of the Inner Circle was inspired by their lack of decadence. Their unwillingness to adhere to Zakhaev's words to the letter (in his mind they only subscribe to The Theme Park Version) meant they refused to pay their dues to what allowed them to come to power and he will show both them and their enemies what it really means to be "Ultranationalist".
- Dragon Ascendant: After the death of Imran Zakhaev, he becomes the new leader of the Russian Ultranationalists.
- Dragon with an Agenda: Considering the fact his apparently main safehouse gets raided and all his data is in American hands, he somehow manages to control nearly every major asset in the Russian military in 3 which shows that he had a much bigger and better equipped facility elsewhere, meaning he's probably been feeding lies to Shepherd since the start.
- Early-Bird Cameo: In Modern Warfare Remastered, he can be seen during the arms deal in "One Shot, One Kill". Shooting him and completing the mission will net you an achievement ("Time Paradox").
- Enemy Mine:
- In the level "The Enemy of My Enemy", he gives away the location of Shepherd's hideout to Price and Soap to save his own arse from apparent inevitable destruction by Shepherd's forces.
- Subverted in 3, since it's revealed that he had a lot more resources and men on hand than first thought, as proven in "Persona non Grata". Having Price and Soap kill Shepherd was simply convenience, and it allowed him to track their movements while they do their deeds.
- Evil Former Friend: To Yuri, as they were both Ultranationalists before Makarov went off the deep end.
- Evil Plan: He has two.
- The first involves starting a war between Russia and the United States, and then invading the US East Coast in order to cause as much death and destruction to the Americans as possible. To this end, he uses a terrorist attack on an airport in Moscow as the spark that ignites the powder keg, with the unwitting Pvt. Allen as the match.
- The second, following the premature end of the first, involves Russian forces invading and conquering much of Western Europe, and, with the acquiring of Russian nuclear codes from Vorshevsky, annihilate or deter the United States and United Kingdom from effectively counterattacking by using Russia's nuclear arsenal against them. In the process, he doesn't care if Europe is destroyed.
- Eviler than Thou: 3 reveals that he's far worse than Gen. Shepherd ever was, having been the reason the former had a Face–Heel Turn in the first place by detonating the nuke in the Middle East that killed the 30,000 US servicemen under the General's command, making Shepherd an Unwitting Pawn of Makarov's own schemes, though Shepherd was still complicit by letting the war continue rather than stopping it from happening. And while Shepherd at least was a Well-Intentioned Extremist wanting to make the American military great again, Makarov's endgame involves, in his own words, Russia ruling all of Europe, even if it must be leveled into ashes.
- Foreshadowing: When Price tells him "the enemy of my enemy is my friend", he responds with "Some day, you're going to find that cuts both ways." Come Modern Warfare 3, and we find out this refers to Yuri; and it gets Soap killed.
- From Camouflage to Criminal: He was a Captain in the Russian Army, first serving as a paratrooper and later in Spetsnaz (Russian special ops). His Start of Darkness can be traced to his military career, as it's all but stated that he committed war crimes in Chechnya.
- From Nobody to Nightmare: He was just an ordinary soldier with dreams of patriotism. Then he rose through the ranks, and became the world's greatest terrorist.
- General Failure: Despite Makarov's immense success in getting control of Russia's military and launching attacks against America as well as Europe, they're also massive failures. The invasion of the United States is a complete boondoggle due to Price's missile and the Russian military is in full-retreat after five days. The European invasion kills millions but is doomed without the use of Russia's nuclear weapons arsenal (which he doesn't have the access codes to, and why he had Vorshevsky captured in the first place).
- Greater-Scope Villain: Of the first Modern Warfare, due to him ensuring Zakhaev's survival in 1996 and triggering the detonation at Al-Asad's capital that resulted in Paul Jackson's death and General Shepherd's Start of Darkness and eventual Face–Heel Turn in Modern Warfare 2.
- Hate Sink: For leading the airport massacre, causing World War III, his part in detonating the nuke that killed 30,000 soldiers, and killing Soap, it's made pretty clear that Makarov is supposed to be as atrocious as possible so that it would be very satisfying giving him his slow and undignified death. He has no redeeming qualities and there is nothing sympathetic about him.
- The Heavy: Makarov's massacre is what kickstarted the whole conflict in Modern Warfare 2 onwards. However, he collaborated with General Shepard in creating this event, something unknown to us until the end of the antepenultimate mission. Then it turns out that he was the one who rescued Zakhaev and detonated Al-Asad's capital making him responsible for all of the events for the entire trilogy.
- Hero Killer: Every time he is encountered in the flesh, Makarov ends up killing or critically wounding a Player Character. Allen, Harkov, Soap, and Yuri (twice!). The only time that doesn't happen is in the Hotel Oasis, as Price, though Price is still woundednote . He also indirectly kills Jackson.
- Karma Houdini Warranty: After escaping justice in Modern Warfare 2 and appearing to do the same after World War III, Captain Price tracks him down and gives him his most well deserved fate at the end of Modern Warfare 3.
- Karmic Death: For all of the war crimes that he has committed, getting hanged like a common criminal was the appropriate death for him.
- Kick the Dog: Too many to count. Although one moment was asking Price how long it took for Soap to die after a very pissed off Price rang Makarov to let him know he was coming for him.
- The Mole: Makarov himself doesn't do this, but a good number of high-ranking officers in Ultranationalist Russia's military were secretly loyal to him, which eventually allows him to kidnap the Russian President, effectively securing his control over the Russian military. As a result, Russia ended up fighting a war under an illegitimate regime.
- Mook Lieutenant: Begins as one, then goes through a series of mook promotions, as detailed below.
- Mook Promotion: In Modern Warfare 3 it's shown that Makarov was just one of Zakhaev's many Mooks attending the Chernobyl arms deal in 1996. He and Yuri end up saving Zakhaev's life after his arm is shot off by Price, which leads to Makarov gaining Zakhaev's favor and rapidly ascending the ranks of the Ultranationalists, making him a Dragon, albeit under Co-Dragons in chief Al-Asad and Victor Zakhaev. After Al-Asad's and both Zakhaevs' deaths he becomes the leader of the extremist wing of the Ultranationalists, and by the time of Modern Warfare 3, he's secretly controlling a large portion of the Russian military from behind the scenes.
- No-Holds-Barred Beatdown: Find himself on the receiving end of one via Captain Price and leads into his death.
- Noose Catch: Receives one in Modern Warfare 3, courtesy of Captain Price.
- Not Quite Dead: He's revealed to be the first of the Four Horsemen in 3, thus making him this in the first game. It's implied that US intelligence mistook him as K.I.A. during the nuclear explosion in the capital city.
- Oh, Crap!: He lets out an absolutely satisfying one in slow motion as he's lynched by Price at the end of Modern Warfare 3.
- Older Than He Looks: Appears in MW3 to be in his early 30's, but is seen in the Chernobyl flashback 20 years ago as an adult driving Zakhaev's Jeep. If you look closely at his bio, his year of birth is given as 1970, making him 26 at Zakhaev's assassination attempt, 41 when he detonated the nuke, and 46 for the events of 2 and 3.
- Omnicidal Maniac: By Modern Warfare 3 he’s resorted to wiping out everybody, civilian and soldier alike, to further his endgame in conquering Europe, but he takes it even further when he tries to grab the nuclear launch codes from Vorshevsky with the intent to annihilate the entire United States to end their involvement in the war. In addition, the newspaper clippings and cutscenes (when paused) show that he was a complete mass-murdering lunatic even before he took control of the Ultranationalists. The total number of civilians he killed in various attacks and bombings prior to the events of Modern Warfare 2 was close to two thousand.
- Opportunistic Bastard: Modern Warfare 3 reveals his last act of Modern Warfare 2 to be an act of quick-thinking opportunism rather than any serious necessity on his part. After General Shepherd betrays Task Force 141, he gives Price the coordinates to Shepherd's base and allows them to take each other out, meaning he doesn't have to clean up his own mess.
- Praetorian Guard: He has one in the form of the Inner Circle.
- Psycho for Hire: Shepherd explicitly states that he works for money. Subverted, though: Makarov actually has an agenda of plunging the world into a massive world war in which Russia conquers Europe.
- Rasputinian Death: He's in a helicopter crash, gets shot through the chest by Yuri, is bludgeoned and thrown through a glass window by Price, and finally ends up hanged with a winch hook cable.
- Renegade Russian: Initially, like Zakhaev, to the standing Russian government. Later, after the Ultranationalists seize power, he becomes this to his own cause by defecting from the ruling government in order to uphold Zakhaev's vision, which he believes has been lost on the current leadership.
- Saved by Canon: In Modern Warfare Remastered, he has to survive his Early-Bird Cameo to become the Big Bad of 2 and 3. Defying this and blowing his head off nets you an achievement.
- See You in Hell: Said word-for-word to Price in 2, when divulging Shepherd's location. Price tells Makarov to give Zakhaev his regards if he gets there first.
- The Sociopath: At the end of the day, Makarov is this. Manipulating his way through to the top, massacring an airport of civilians and pinning the blame on the US while showing absolutely zero remorse for it, and showing quite a vicious, sadistic streak along the way. It's implied by Yuri that he once truly believed in the cause, but now only wishes to obtain power and slaughter anyone that stands in his way.
- The Starscream: In Modern Warfare 3, he attempts to overthrow the Russian President to extract the missile launch codes from him and the take political (but mostly military) power of Russia from him.
- They Look Just Like Everyone Else!: Unlike the more obvious Al-Asad and Zakhaev Makarov resembles little more than a bearded, semi handsome Russian soldier in a suit, resembling maybe Hans Gruber without the charm.
- The Unfettered: You kinda know that he's this when he sees no problem massacring a airport full of innocent civilians just to kickstart the events of the 3rd world war, driving Yuri out of his camp and triggering his entire revenge arc in Modern Warfare 3. He makes it even worse when he's willing to use chemical weapons on civilian and military targets alike. It's best described in this comment:"This man Makarov is fighting his own war and he has no rules. No boundaries. He doesn't flinch at torture, human trafficking, or genocide. He's not loyal to a flag or country or any set of ideals. He trades blood for money."
- Undignified Death: Makarov arguably suffers the most undignified death in COD history. Makarov suffers a No Hold Barred Beatdown from Price before he uses a cable as a makeshift noose, wrapping it around his neck before hanging him. He doesn't even immediately die, as he constantly moves and twitches trying to break free only to suffocate to death with his eyes and mouth wide open, while Price smokes a cigar watches his lifeless corpse hanging. Given everything that Makarov has done, this was the perfect death for him.
- Unwitting Pawn: It looks like he's one for Shepherd at first, but then it's subverted. Based on how the events of 3 unfold, it appears Makarov was the one pulling the strings on Shepherd the entire time.
- Walking Spoiler: In 3, since it's revealed that he was responsible for a number of things, including the nuclear explosion in the Middle East and Shepherd's Start of Darkness.
- With Great Power Comes Great Insanity: In Modern Warfare 3, Yuri paraphrases this word for word when describing Makarov's rapid ascent up the ranks.
- Would You Like to Hear How They Died?: Inverted. He taunts Price in the intro cutscene to "Dust to Dust" by asking how long it took Soap to die.
- You Have Outlived Your Usefulness:
- Once he's no longer useful to Shepherd, the General tries to kill him. Makarov survives and continues on to inflict even greater tragedy.
- Subversion, Modern Warfare 3 clearly shows he had to have had some major plans going on in the background and that he was actually doing this to Shepherd. If the infamous "Loose Ends" level is compared to his actions starting with "Persona non Grata" in 3, then it's likely that Makarov was at least feeding false information to Shepherd's intelligence assets and probably was intending to kill Shepherd anyway with the same men that attacked Himachal Pradesh — sending Price and Soap to do it was probably just seizing an opportunity.
Makarov's Associates
Viktor
Viktor
"I've waited a long time for this."
Voiced by: Michael Cudlitz (English)note
A member of Makarov's Inner Circle, and one of the men chosen to participate on the attack on Zakhaev International Airport. He's later part of the Ultranationalist invasion force attacking the US.
- Asshole Victim: He participated in the Zakhaev International Airport massacre and got away with it, so no tears are shed when Karma finally catches up to him.
- The Cameo: He appears briefly in 3, during Yuri's flashback set during "No Russian".
- Killed Off for Real: His body is found by Hunter 2-1 in "Exodus", having been killed in a firefight with the HVI the Ranger team was supposed to extract.
- Killed Offscreen: Hunter 2-1 finds him and the HVI long dead.
- The Mole: He's implied to be an agent or informant for Makarov within the Russian Army note as Sgt. Foley states that based on his tattoos, he was a high-ranking soldier or at least someone important.
- Sole Survivor: The only member of Makarov's fire team to survive the FSB assault, as Lev and Kiril are killed in the firefight while Allen is executed by Makarov.
Lev
Lev
A member of the Inner Circle, and one of the men involved in the Zakhaev Airport massacre.
- Asshole Victim: He gets killed while participating in the Zakhaev International Airport massacre.
- The Cameo: Makes a brief appearance in 3 during Yuri's flashback. He's also one of the men restraining him in the parking lot of Zakhaev airport.
- Killed Off for Real: He's killed by the FSB during the fire team's escape at the airport tarmac.
- More Dakka: Like Allen, he carries an M240 machine gun for the airport massacre.
- We Hardly Knew Ye: Gets only a few minutes of screentime before he's killed in the same level he's introduced in.
Kiril
Kiril
An Inner Circle member, and part of Makarov's fire team at Zakhaev International Airport.
- Asshole Victim: He gets killed during or after massacring loads of civilians in the Zakhaev International Airport massacre.
- The Cameo: Makes a brief appearance in 3 during Yuri's flashback. He's one of the men holding him down after Makarov finds out about his betrayal.
- Killed Off for Real: He's killed during the shootout on the tarmac with the FSB.
- Shotguns Are Just Better: Rather than carry an M4 or M240 like the rest of Makarov's fire team, he uses a Striker shotgun instead.
- We Hardly Knew Ye: Like Lev, he only serves as additional firepower for the airport massacre, and dies in the same level he's introduced in.
Alejandro Rojas
Alejandro Rojas
Makarov's arms dealer, appearing for a single mission in Modern Warfare 2. He lives in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and is protected by the Brazilian militia.
- Arms Dealer: Makarov's. What makes him special is that he was able to hand the former standard-issue US weapons and ammunition used during the airport massacre.
- The Cameo: He appears briefly in Modern Warfare 3, in a photo taken just outside the Hotel Lustig with him alongside Makarov and Volk.
- Cold-Blooded Torture: Heavily implied to have been done to him by Soap and Ghost.
- Red Baron: Also known as "Alex the Red".
- Uncertain Doom: Soap leaves him tied to a wall when he's done with him, saying "the streets will take care of him". Of course, you can just shoot him instead.
- The Voiceless: Unlike Waraabe or Volk, he never utters any lines onscreen.
Waraabe
Waraabe
Somalian warlord seen in the MW3 mission "Return to Sender". He leads the militia in Somalia and is responsible for creating the nerve gas supplied to Makarov.
Voiced by: Hakeem Kae-Kazim (English)note
- African Terrorists: The leader of the Somalian branch of the African Militia, who help Makarov by dealing in arms and participate in the smuggling of the Deadly Gas used on most of Europe.
- Asshole Victim: MacMillan mentions him being "a nasty piece of work", with his crimes including terrorism, commercial piracy, human trafficking, arms dealing, illicit drug smuggling, and criminal homicide, which, combined with his most recent actions, make his death at Price's hands all the more deserved.
- Authority Equals Asskicking: Averted. He quickly cracks when Price threatens to use Deadly Gas on him.
- Bald of Evil: Despite the fact that his dossier in "Return to Sender" says he has black hair, he is actually bald.
- Black Dude Dies First: Out of all the villains in Modern Warfare 3, he's the first to go.
- Boom, Headshot!: Price kills him this way.
- Co-Dragons: With Viktor to Makarov.
- Dirty Coward: When Price, Soap, and Yuri breach into his office during "Return to Sender", Waraabe immediately tries to bolt, only to get shot in the leg. He panics when Price pulls the pin on the nerve gas canister, and immediately tells Price everything he wants to know. Not that it does Waraabe any good...
- Jack Bauer Interrogation Technique: On the receiving end. While Price, Soap, and Yuri don gas masks, Price pulls the pin on a toxin canister. If he talks, he gets the last mask. If not, he'll suffocate. Not that it matters anyway.
- Karmic Death: Price, a former SAS operative, coldly guns Waraabe down as vengeance for the countless SAS operatives who were killed because of the weapons Waraabe sold to Makarov.
- Laser-Guided Karma: Moments before his death, Waraabe is threatened by Price using the same chemical weapons the former had sold to Makarov.
- Names to Run Away from Really Fast: "Waraabe" means "hyena" in Somali.
Viktor "Volk" Khristenko
Viktor "Volk" Khristenko
The CEO of Fregata Industries, a front company that supplied Makarov with Deadly Gas.
Voiced by: Corey Webber (English)note
- Co-Dragons: With Waarabe to Makarov.
- Corrupt Corporate Executive: He is a willing collaborator of Makarov, who had already established himself as a ruthless terrorist and has even worse plans with gas bombs.
- Jack Bauer Interrogation Technique: Courtesy of Sandman. Unfortunately for him.Price: Did our man talk?Sandman: They always talk.
- Mad Bomber: He's Makarov's bomb maker.
- Names to Run Away from Really Fast: "Volk" means "wolf" in Russian.
Alexi
Alexi
A high-ranking member of the Inner Circle, and commander of their Prague fortress stronghold.
Voiced by: note
- Badass Bandolier: Carries one, though he never gets to use it.
- Killed Off for Real: Price lobs a grenade into the control room he and his men are in, killing them before they can bolt out of there.
- Mook Lieutenant: A high-ranking Inner Circle member who answers to Makarov directly, and oversees their headquarters in Prague.
Anatoly
Anatoly
A member of the Inner Circle, and one of the men involved in the Zakhaev Airport massacre.
- Getaway Driver: He serves as the driver of the ambulance Makarov and co use to escape.
- Karma Houdini: After "No Russian" he receives no comeuppance after that. However it's downplayed, only in the sense that he makes it out of the trilogy alive, since the Inner Circle is destroyed and it's unknown if he survived World War III. So he didn't get off completely scot-free.
- What Happened to the Mouse?: Doesn't appear for the rest of the trilogy after his appearance at the end of "No Russian".
Other
Petrov
Major Petrov
Commander of an Ultranationalist airbase in Modern Warfare 2.- Death by Adaptation: In the Modern Warfare 2: Remastered, instead of broadcasting from the airbase's PA system, he is instead personally present among the soldiers cornering Soap, distinguished by being the one holding a loudspeaker. Because of this, he is among those killed by either Roach or Soap when Roach activates "Plan B".
- Department of Redundancy Department: "...surrender now or your comrade dies! Put your hands in the air and surrender to us or your comrade dies!" "You have five seconds to comply!" "Very well, we give you five seconds to comply!"
- Snow Means Death: In Modern Warfare 2: Remastered. It's snowing on the mountain that his airbase was on and he also dies there while it's snowing.
- Uncertain Doom: In the original Modern Warfare 2, it's unknown if he was killed when Roach blew up part of the base or was killed by Soap or Roach during their escape.
- We Hardly Knew Ye: In Modern Warfare 2: Remastered, he dies in the same scene that he's introduced in, due to Soap and Roach shooting him as well as all of his men.
