Imran Zakhaev (Original)

"Our so called leaders prostituted us to the West... destroyed our culture... our economies... our honor. Our blood has been spilled on our soil. My blood... on their hands. They are the invaders. All U.S and British forces will leave Russia immediately... or suffer the consequences."

- Zakhaev's speech during the cutscene before Ultimatum.

Imran Zakhaev (Russian: Имран Заха́ев) was a Russian arms dealer, Ultranationalist and a Russian terrorist who is the main antagonist in Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare. He is the leader of the so-called "Four Horsemen", and the cunning mastermind behind the uprisings in Russia and the Arabian Peninsula.

Biography
Fifteen years before the civil war in Russia, in 1996, Zakhaev was nothing more than a black-market arms dealer who saw the collapse of the Communist regime in the Soviet Union as an opportunity to salvage radioactive fuel rods from the Chernobyl nuclear powerplant in Pripyat, Ukraine, and sell the precious uranium as nuclear material in the black markets. His criminal activities were noted by the British intelligence, and the Special Air Service gained its first assassination order since the ending of World War II. The SAS dispatched two operatives, Captain MacMillan and Leftenant John Price, as snipers in Ukraine to eliminate Zakhaev. Pripyat, an abandoned ghost town since the 1986 Chernobyl disaster, and the peaceful countryside surrounding the town, were swarming with Russian mercenaries employed by Zakhaev, but MacMillan and Price, wearing ghillie suits, were able to sneak to the city unnoticed. Sniping from over 800 meters away with his Barrett M82 sniper rifle, Price aimed and shot Zakhaev in the left shoulder, when his target was meeting business partners near the Chernobyl powerplant. The Russians attempted to eliminate the intruders, but MacMillan and Price were able to escape the city. MacMillan thought Zakhaev would die from shock and blood loss, but this would not be the case. Zakhaev survived, but the failed assassination attempt cost Zakhaev his left arm.

=P

Legacy
Following Zakhaev's death, it was announced the Ultranationalist Party had begun developing leadership struggles. It was later revealed that a schism split the group in two, with Vladimir Makarov, a 'wild dog', forming a violent mercenary group, and Boris Vorshevsky becoming the legitimate President of Russia at the head of a politically stable Ultranationalist party.

Five years following his death, Imran Zakhaev was revealed to have statue of himself erected in Moscow, Russia, with a plaque entitled "Imran Zakhaev, Hero of the New Russia". He also had an airport named after him in his honor. By this point, it appeared the Ultranationalists were successful in gaining strong sympathy from the Russian populace in the five years after his death, gaining a political stronghold in Russia rather than a military one.

Quotes
"Our so called leaders prostituted us to the West... destroyed our culture... our economies... our honor. Our blood has been spilled on our soil... My blood... on their hands. They are the invaders. All U.S. and British forces will leave Russia immediately... or suffer the consequences."

- Beginning cutscene of Ultimatum

Appearances

 * (2 games)
 * Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare (First appearance)
 * Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 (Mentioned only)

Trivia

 * No matter where you shoot Zakhaev in "One Shot, One Kill", the bullet seems to curve down or up and his left arm immediately flies off, and he is still seen with his left arm missing instead in the later missions.
 * In the actual game, Zakhaev can only be heard speaking once. This occurs in the opening cutscene of Ultimatum.
 * Zakhaev was used as a model to make Sgt. Reznov for Call of Duty: World at War
 * Zakhaev's first name suggests that he has Muslim heritage, as "Imran" is one of the chapters in the Muslims' holy book, Al Quran. However, as Zakhaev's main intention is to change Russia back into the Soviet Union, it may or may be not that he lost his Muslim faith. Also, his son is named Victor, a secular name. It could also be a reference to the Russo-Chechen Wars, the Chechnyans being generally Islamic. This may also be why he helps Al Asad, because of their Muslim faith.
 * Zakhaev wears flecktarn camouflage trousers close to the Bundeswehr's (German Armed Forces) ones.
 * Zakhaev wears the same clothes throughout the game. Even in One Shot, One Kill which takes place fifteen years before the events of the game.
 * In the beginning of the Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare trailer, a voice sounding very similar to Zakhaev says "This game is not yet rated." And at the end he speaks Russian. This is similar to the Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 trailer where Vladimir Makarov speaks Russian at the end of the trailer.
 * Zakhaev was voiced by Yevgeni Lazarev. Yevgeni Lazarev played in many acting roles such as General Dimitri in Lord of War.
 * In Game Over, no matter where Zakhaev is shot, he will clutch his stomach.
 * It is quite interesting to note, that in "One Shot, One Kill", when you shoot Zakhaev, his left arm will be projected WITH the sleeve of his jacket, and in all of the other levels, he will be seen with the sleeve folded up. Of course, he may just be wearing a jacket of similar design to the one he wore in "One Shot, One Kill".
 * A portrait of Zakhaev is in one of the buildings in Salvage, a new map included in the stimulus package. Also, his name, 'Zakhaev' is written across one of the walls.
 * If you are quick enough in "One Shot, One Kill" you can also shoot down his business partner that was conferring with him and several others while still having enough time to snipe the chopper pilot.
 * In the opening introduction for Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, Zakhaev says "My son's blood on their hands." instead of "My blood on their hands."
 * If you use the God mode cheat in Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare, Soon after he empties his Desert Eagle, he takes out what seems to be a Colt and Can reload it as if he still had his missing arm. He also has Unlimited Ammo for the non Desert Eagle handgun.