Vladimir Makarov

"Revenge is like a ghost...It takes over every man it touches...Its thirst cannot be quenched...Until the last man standing has fallen..."

- Vladimir Makarov Vladimir R. Makarov is one of the main antagonists in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2.

Early military/terrorist career
According to Modern Warfare 2 info; Vladimir Makarov graduated from the Frunze Military Academy as an officer in the Russian Army first serving as a paratrooper. Later on in his career he made it into Spetsnaz and served two tours in Chechnya. It is believed that a company under his command were involved with some of the most brutal "cleansing" raids.

As a SOP to western governments complaining about human rights abuses inquires were promised, Makarov's name was at the top of the list presented by an EU Investigation panel. An army inquiry into the allegations of abuse was dropped when Makarov opted for discharge from the armed forces. At this point he harbored a pathological hatred to the West for interfering and the Russian Government for giving him no other option but to leave the armed forces. He then puts his skills to murderous use, being the mastermind and taking part in many criminal and terrorist activites, such as kidnapping, human trafficking of women, hijackings, money laundering, terror bombings of military/civilian targets, drug trafficking, assassinations, etc. Zakhaev himself may have saw great potential from Makarov's skills of mayhem and destruction, and let Makarov be a commander in the Ultranationalist party, but knew that he needed to place some limits with his new "mad dog". Because of his long list of diverse skills that he has done for the highest bidder, this gives Makarov a vast array of contacts from other terrorist organizations as well as drug cartels and other crime syndicates which he has done work for. It is this reason which may have helped Makarov give him the edge he needed to assume total control of the Ultranationalist party after Zakhaev's death left a power struggle.

By examining newspaper clippings in his safehouse, Makarov was responsible for a bombing attack on London's Piccadilly Circus, as well as the GUM supermarket in Red Square, Moscow. It also confirms that Russia's Ultranationalist party leader became the president and that Vladimir held up photos of Bravo Six (Gaz, Griggs, Price and Soap) and declared they were responsible for the death of Imran Zakhaev. It is for this reason that he holds a grudge against John Price.

Modern Warfare 2
Vladimir Makarov is one of the main antagonists in the Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2. He is said to be a former associate of Imran Zakhaev. A brutal leader with his own nationalistic ambitions, he was kept in check by Imran Zakhaev. However, following Zakhaev's death, he has since gained popularity within Russia and used Zakhaev's death as propaganda, claiming him to be a martyr. In several aspects he diverges from his predecessor; in Russia, he favors terrorism over open war (though like Zakhaev, easily kills his own countrymen for his own gain). While Zakhaev desired the conquest of Russia, in Shepherd's own words, "..he's a whore; He trades blood for money." He has contacts in many locations, including an arms dealer named Rojas in Brazil, a base in Khazakstan, and possibly some terrorist sleeper cells worldwide.

Task Force 141 was formed with the specific mission of bringing down Makarov due to his involvement in various attacks in Europe. This is their main objective throughout the game, until the task force is betrayed by Shepherd when they get too close to the truth.

In Game
Makarov is approached by Shepherd, who wants to instigate a war to show the military might of the United States. Makarov agrees and plans an attack on Zakhaev International Airport and accepts undercover CIA agent Joseph Allen into his organization. Makarov, along with Viktor, Joseph Allen (under the name Alexei Borodin), Lev and Kiril assault the airport and brutally massacre the civilians and guards present. After fighting through FSB forces, Makarov and his henchmen are extracted by Anatoly. However, Makarov reveals that he knew of Allen's true allegiance and shoots him and leaves him for dead, instigating a war between Russia and the United States. Eventually Makarov and his men are tracked down to two possible locations, leading Task Force 141 to investigate. Sanderson and Ghost obtain intel on Makarov, as well as his dealings with Shepherd, but are killed by Shepherd because of this. Makarov is revealed to be a secondary antagonist, with Shepherd turning on him to gain full glory as the man who took down Makarov. He and his forces are attacked by Shepherd's Shadow Company in an aircraft boneyard. Makarov is then contacted by Captain Price, who asks for intel on Shepherd, saying the famous phrase "The enemy of my enemy is my friend". Realizing that his only hope for survival was getting rid of Shepherd, Makarov reluctantly gives up Shepherd's location, saying "I'll see you in hell", to which Price responds "Looking forward to it. Give my regards to Zakhaev if you get there first". Although no outcome of the battle between Shadow Company and Makarov's forces is given, it is presumed that Makarov survives and gone into hiding.

Quotes
During the May 24th trailer, a male voice with a rather feminine but definitive Russian accent is heard narrating during the initial flashback sequences. This could very well be the voice of Makarov.

"The world's men of action...will look in wonder...how it came to this..."

- Vladimir Makarov

"He may be able to destroy me...but the beast will eventually come for him..."

- Vladimir Makarov

"If you fight, I will fight back."

- Vladimir Makarov

Makarov's most infamous appearance in the game is during a terrorist attack on Zakhaev International Airport, where he directly participates and leads the attack along with Alexei Borodin. He deliberately makes it look like an attack by American soldiers, and apparently the Russians bought the ruse, as one American commented, "This appears to be the work of the Ultranationalists. The Kremlin, however, sees it differently."

"S Nami Bog (С нами Бог)"

- Vladimir Makarov

Said before the following quote. Translates to "God is with us" in Russian.

"Remember, no Russian."

- Vladimir Makarov

In the October 4th "Infamy" trailer, the same voice is heard. Here, "you" seems to refer to the United States.

"The world has been your battlefield. Everywhere you go, the blood of brothers and sons screams out against you."

- Vladimir Makarov

"Perhaps you cannot yet hear it... because the soil is not your own. But you will... you will."

- Vladimir Makarov

In the leaked video of the level No Russian, Makarov shoots CIA Undercover Operative Joseph Allen/Alexei Borodin.

"That was no message...This is a message."

- Vladimir Makarov

Associates

 * Alejandro Rojas (Captured by Captain MacTavish)
 * Imran Zakhaev (formerly, now deceased)
 * Faust (Shot in the leg by Roach and captured by Task Force 141)
 * Alexei Borodin (Former squad member, executed when found to be a CIA infiltrator)
 * Viktor is one of the terrorists in the airport, in No Russian.
 * Anatoly is also another terrorist in No Russian. He is the getaway driver.
 * Lev is also one of the terrorists in No Russian. He was killed by the FSB on the runaway.
 * Kiril (Killed in airport attack)
 * General Shepherd (Killed by Soap MacTavish)

Trivia

 * Makarov is the name of a pistol used by Russia. It is the successor of the TT-33.
 * Vladimir is suspected of being one of The Four Horsemen, the unnamed "First Horseman" from Modern Warfare.
 * It is possible to notice that his left eye is green and his right is blue, due to Heterochromia Iridium.
 * The Infamy trailer, which Makarov narrates, was released on his birthday.
 * Makarov is the only one in No Russian to not have any visible tattoos. This can be seen in the bonus level "Museum".
 * Makarov looks very similar to Gary Oldman's character, the Russian terrorist leader in the movie Air Force One. They both wield M4s and have a pathological hatred for the West, further adding to the similarity.
 * According to a newspaper clipping in Loose Ends, he was responsible for a bombing attack on London's Piccadilly Circus, as well as the GUM supermarket in Red Square, Moscow.
 * As an easter egg, a blow up sex doll can be found in a compromising position in a bathtub in Makarov's safehouse in the mission "Loose Ends".
 * In the opening cutscene for The Hornet's Nest, Ghost mentions that the only guy Makarov hates worse than Americans is locked up in a gulag, this means that Makarov hates Price worse than Americans.
 * It is weird how Makarov says in No Russian "For Zakhaev" but is attacking his mentors own airport.
 * Many fans were dissapointed with Makarov's screentime, seeing as the fact that he was hyped up with a lot of mystery with his cold voiceovers in the trailers since January only to appear once in the whole game.