Viktor Reznov

"Mark my words, comrade, one day things will change. We will take the fight to their land, to their people, to their blood!"

- Reznov to Dimitri Petrenko as they attempt to kill Heinrich Amsel

Viktor Reznov is a Russian squad leader of the Red Army in Call of Duty: World at War during World War II. He is also confirmed to play a major part in Call of Duty: Black Ops either assisting or as part of the Studies and Observations Group.

He is voiced by Gary Oldman.

Early History
Sergeant Reznov was born in Russia and joined the Red Army sometime before World War II.

Battle of Stalingrad
He is first seen in the level Vendetta as a sniper trying to assassinate the German general Heinrich Amsel, the "architect of Stalingrad's misery," which seems to be Reznov's hometown. As one of the only two survivors of the massacre in the fountain, he is saved from being executed by feigning death. He and Dimitri Petrenko meet each other, with Reznov explaining his situation to Dimitri. Reznov, who can no longer snipe precisely as a marksman due to his injured hand, gives Petrenko his Mosin-Nagant rifle, and asks him to eliminate the general. Reznov guides Dimitri into killing a few German soldiers as German bombers fly overhead to shroud out the noise of the gunshots. He leads him through Stalingrad, dueling against a German sniper, and a whole German platoon with multiple soldiers equipped with flamethrowers. Then, they are saved by Petrenko's squad, and continue with them on an assault against a Nazi communication post. After fierce fighting, Petrenko kills Heinrich Amsel, which gives Reznov a hearty chuckle. They are soon attacked by a Panzer tank and German soldiers. Reznov holds off numerous German soldiers before he jumps in a canal, with Dimitri soon following him. It is important to note that due to Reznov's injured finger he could not fire his rifle with perfect aim, and thus, his "character class" was changed to Submachine Gunner as he wields a PPSh-41 from then on. He is seen without his finger three years later.

Battle of Berlin - Taking the Fight to the Enemy
Three years later, on April 18, 1945 in Seelow Heights, Germany, Soviet troops are pushing towards Berlin. Sergeant Reznov along with a new recruit Chernov comes to rescue the captured Dimitri Petrenko from three German soldiers. Reznov often tells the other soldiers to follow Dimitri as an example, especially to Chernov, who seems to be shocked by the vengeful violence of his comrades against Wehrmacht soldiers. The atrocities Reznov and Petrenko saw at Stalingrad made them feel no pity for German troops.

In the level Heart of the Reich, near the Reichstag, Reznov orders Chernov to at least prove he can die for his country, if he can't kill for it, giving him the Russian flag that must be planted on the top of the Reichstag, because Chernov was writing in his diary. Reznov also states that "no one will ever read this." After Chernov had been wounded by a flamethrower, he takes Chernov's diary and states that "someone should read this," contrary to what he had said earlier. Another soldier carries the flag to the top of the roof but is killed before being able to plant it. Reznov then asks Petrenko to take the flag and plant it. When Petrenko gets shot almost fatally with a P-38 by a surviving SS trooper, Reznov jumps in and slices the unfortunate German twice in the torso and impales him in the back. After that, he helps Petrenko up, and tells Petrenko that he can make it, and that he always survives. He then cuts the rope holding the Nazi flag and tells Petrenko to plant the Soviet flag. He expects the two of them to return to their home as "heroes." Reznov mentions many times that the heart of the army cannot be broken as long as Dimitri lives.

Call of Duty: Black Ops
Reznov returns in Call of Duty: Black Ops as a member of the Studies and Observations Group. He appears in the mission "Victor Charlie", in a section inside Vietnamese tunnels. The fact that he is a member of SOG strongly implies that he has defected from the USSR, which is odd, seeming how patriotic he was in Call of Duty: World at War. Despite the 20 years that have passed since World at War and Black Ops, his appearance has not changed, still sporting the crew cut and thick beard. It could be that the Reznov character in Black Ops is much like the John Price character in Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare, just reentering him into the series.

Personality and Traits
Reznov is patriotic, strong, and is a close friend of Private Petrenko, often telling heroic stories of him and Dimitri during the Battle of Stalingrad. He also hates Nazi Germany with a passion, refers to them as mudaks, rats, and animals and shows no mercy to any Wehrmacht soldier, as many of his comrades and friends were coldly executed by Wehrmacht soldiers during the Siege of Stalingrad. He is assumed to have lived in Stalingrad before World War II as he is has great knowledge of the city and tells Petrenko of his life in Stalingrad before the German invasion. In combat, he uses a PPSh-41. Reznov is missing the upper tip of his right index finger, as can first be noticed during Vendetta (when it is wrapped up in a bloody bandage) which explains why he cannot use a sniper rifle although it is presumed that he was a marksman before his injury. Skillful handling of a sniper rifle is very much appreciated by Reznov. When Dimitri kills a German soldier in the Battle of Stalingrad by shooting a sniper rifle from the hip, Reznov compliments him, "No scope? Hahaha, nice!" He is also a powerful speaker giving motivational speeches to his soldiers time after time about Dimitri and the successes he has when he fights alongside him. When he kills Germans, he calls it an example of "mercy-killing," most likely because of what can happen to them if they don't get killed there on the spot as a reference to the brutality in Soviet prison camps. He seems to have a good son/bad son relationship with Petrenko and Chernov often yelling at Chernov for not being like Petrenko whom he regularly compliments.

World at War

 * (Sgt. Reznov's first non-cutscene line) "Shhh... I need your help. Do what I say and we can avenge this massacre."
 * (During the cutscene before Vendetta) "The rotten cancer of the fascist Reich ravages Europe like a plague. Their relentless drive into our motherland steals the lives of men, women, and children alike. The arrogance of their leaders is matched only by the brutality of their soldiers. These are the darkest days of the Nazi occupation of Stalingrad."
 * (During the cutscene before Ring of Steel) "With the line at Seelow now broken, nothing stands between the Red Army and Berlin. Every day, we carve deeper into German territory. Every day, fear and desperation erode their will. When our train reaches to Berlin, they will have nowhere left to hide."
 * (During the cutscene before Downfall) "The path towards our glorious victory has been a journey of blood and brutality. All of it has been necessary. When the flag of our motherland flies atop the Reichstag, all of Berlin know that the evil of the Fascist Reich has been wiped from the face of the earth."
 * "Sniping your enemy is like hunting any other animal. Fire at the wrong moment, and your chance will be forever lost."
 * "Chernov finish these rats!" -start of Their land, Their blood.
 * "CHYORT!"
 * "Wait until the bombers are directly overhead. The sound of their engines will drown out your shots."
 * (If the player shoots an enemy without aiming down the sniper scope.)"No scope?! Hahaha, nice!"
 * "Mark my words comrade. One day things will change; We will take the fight to their land, to their people, to their blood."
 * "DIE!!! You scum sucking animals!!! UURRRRAAA!!!'"
 * "The mudak in the car is General Heinrich Amsel. Architect of Stalingrad's misery."
 * "Dimitri? Hahaha! Once again you cheat death." 
 * (During the cutscene before Blood and Iron): "We have lost many brave men, but their sacrifice is not in vain. Our tanks now form a line of steel so powerful that all German resistance will be crushed beneath it's mighty treads. Today - we will watch as Seelow falls, along with all those foolish enough to stand in our way." 
 * {Before the end of Blood and Iron) "Fortune smiles on us. In Berlin the Germans will truly see what they have unleashed. But in the midst of all the blood, the bullets, and the dead i have found who is still very much alive. Dimitri Petrenko, I saw this man cheat death time after time at the siege of Stalingrad. As long as he lives the heart of this army cannot be broken, he makes us all proud."
 * "Then die with your hands around the throat of the enemy."
 * "You will be alright my friend" Said to Dimitri often.
 * "Their armor are no match for you! Hero of Stalingrad!"
 * "See how things have changed, my friend? Now it is their land... their people... their blood."
 * "It matters not where they choose to die! Hunt them down! No mercy was shown to my comrades in Stalingrad! No mercy will be shown here! An eye for an eye!"
 * "Today is the day of our glorious victory, for ourselves...and for Mother Russia."
 * "As the symbol of their decadence plummets, so will their wretched Reich!"
 * (In response to Chernov asking if they are to shoot the fleeing Germans in the back) "The back, the front, the head, do as you wish, just as long as they are dead!"
 * "Hahaha, you, you are a true marksman Dimitri."
 * "Cleave their heads from their shoulders!"
 * "These trenches will be their graves!"
 * "Chyort! Svoloch almost got me."
 * "In Stalingrad, Dimitri and I crawled through many smoke filled buildings. Do you hear him complaining?"
 * "You should have shot them Chernov, it is only cruel to prolong an animal's suffering."
 * "This is how you end a war Chernov."
 * "Ha ha, brute force Chernov! Brute force!"
 * "Shhh. Stay where you are. Let your eyes adjust to the darkness."
 * "CHERNOV! I'm not hearing gunshots!"
 * "Then maybe our friend will help them bleed faster."
 * "Hunting them down like the rats they are."
 * "After Stalingrad, I know to trust your instincts, Dimitri. Left or right?...You lead the way"
 * (When nearing the roof of the Reichstag in Downfall) "The bloodied heart of the Reich will beat its final time!"
 * "Let their burning country be the last thing they see!"
 * "Dimitri, Lead the Charge!!!"
 * "URA!"
 * "Dimitri, ready the flamethrower. Good, now take a closer look at those rats on the horizon. They will be the first to burn on this day."
 * "If you lack the stomach to kill for your country, at least show me you are willing to die for it!"
 * "Make sure that they are all dead, KILL THEM ALL, wipe the scum from the streets!"
 * "Look around you, Chernov. Do you think these men will be denied their revenge? Death come only two ways: fast if not slow. Dimitri, it is your choice."
 * "Chernov, you should learn from Dimitri. He understands the nature of mercy killing."
 * "You will be okay, do you hear me? They flooded their own metro, in an effort to kill us Dimitri, but once again, they failed. Once more, we cheat death."
 * (To Chernov, after seeing him write in his diary) "Which do you think will lead us home? Writing about this war, or fighting it? No one will ever read this!"
 * "Chernov, NO!"
 * (After Chernov was torched by the flamethrower, speaking about above stated diary) "Someone should read this."
 * (To Dimitri, after killing the SS trooper that wounded him) "You can make it, my friend. You always survive."
 * "As long as you live, the heart of this army cannot be broken."
 * "I have seen my friends die at the hands of this vermin. They deserve everything they get, and more."
 * "The Germans hang their cowards from trees. Make sure you keep hold of that flag, Chernov."
 * "Things will change my friend, as heroes we will return to Russia's embrace."
 * "Throw your molotovs, let them burn in their post."
 * "Do svidaniya, Scum!" (Do svidaniya, or До свидания in Russian, means "Good Bye" in Russian)
 * (During the cutscene before Eviction): "Our grip tightens around the black heart of Berlin. The Führer demands all to shed their last drop of blood in it's defense. The old, the young, the weak. If they stand for Germany, they die for Germany. Building by building. Room by room. One rat at a time."
 * "Without Question!!!"
 * "This won't be easy."
 * "Dimitri I see time has not weakened your aim!"
 * "You could learn much from this man Chernov."
 * "Relax for a minute, breathe deeply."
 * "Boil them in their steel coffins!"
 * "Dimitri, fire the Panzerschreck!"
 * "Dimitri, ride on one of the tanks, you have earned the rest. Chernov, You have not, you walk.

Black Ops

 * "No one fights alone, Mason..."
 * "I will work my way around..."
 * "Everybody dies, Mason..."

Videos
Video:A tribute to Reznov

Trivia

 * For some reason, in the picture with Reznov in "Their Land, Their Blood", he still has his hand in bandages, which he does not have during gameplay in the level.
 * In the Call of Duty: Black Ops trailer, Reznov is seen using a knife to kill a Viet Cong in the tunnel, however it can be seen that he has a second knife attached to his left shoulder. Why he has two is unknown, but the one he used may have been for a quick draw.
 * The developers of Call of Duty: World at War based Reznov off of the character model of Imran Zakhaev from Call of Duty 4, but he bears more of a resemblance to the first Chairman of the Council of People's Commissars of the Soviet Union, Vladimir Lenin.
 * The knife (Boyevoy Nozh, or "Combat Knife") that Reznov kills the German with is the first time the player sees him use it, but he apparently has had it all of the game (shown in the cutscene in "Blood and Iron").
 * Even after two and a half years he is still a Sergeant meaning he either turned down many promotions or the Red Army doesn't give promotions out lightly. This is true for Roebuck, Polonsky, and C. Miller in the Pacific campaign.
 * The voice for the multiplayer Red Army team is Reznov.
 * He looks quite old to be a soldier, like Captain Price and Lt. Volker in Call of Duty 4.
 * On the mission "Vendetta" he may randomly say, "Take the shot Dimitri", referring to the shooting of Heinrich Amsel. This is probably a glitch.
 * Considering how he always calls Petrenko by his first name, it is possible he knew him before Stalingrad or maybe even the war. However, he never addresses Petrenko by name, until after they meet Daletski. After that he calls Petrenko by his first name.
 * There really was a Reznov in the 3rd Shock Army but he was a Brigade Commissioner, not a Sergeant.
 * In Vendetta, if the player runs out of ammo, (Possibly only for normal and lower difficulties) Reznov will whisper "Take the shot Dimitri!" and fully reload ammo. This can be important for when the player finds the PTRS-41, or the Walther P-38 when the player attempts to kill Amsel with a pistol shot, as the Walther comes with low ammo.
 * Reznov is the only Russian character in the Call of Duty series to use a Boevoy Nozh.
 * If the player shoots a Nazi Soldier or a dog in Vendetta with his sniper rifle without scoping, Reznov will say "No Scope?!! Nice!"
 * It is interesting that Reznov would fight alongside the Americans in Call of Duty: Black Ops, which may hint the fact that he is a defector. It is strange, however, that he would defect since he was very patriotic to the Soviet Union during Call of Duty: World at War. It can be assumed that sometime after the defeat of Nazi Germany, Reznov began to see how the USSR became more corrupt, abusive, power hungry and exploitive towards its own people which may have disgusted him to the point of defection, joining America and its NATO allies in their new war against the Soviets and communism. Another theory is he is a double agent, although this is unlikely as he would have trouble getting into the US special operations if there was any belief that he might be a double agent. Yet another theory is that he is an informant. this is plausible, but unlikely, because, being Russian, he could easily spy on communist forces, but since he was seen in the trailer inside a building, it is unlikely, as the Russians would get suspicious.
 * In the Call of Duty: Black Ops trailer, the player can see Reznov walking, with a picture of a Boevoy Nozh shown, this is possibly the same knife Reznov used at the end of Call of Duty: World at War.
 * In the E3 Black Ops Demo, Reznov is seen with holding a knife as his main weapon and no guns. This may mean he has run out of ammo, implying he might have been in the level earlier. Of course, this may mean that he was just trying to remain quiet with the tunnels because a suppressed weapon would be unlikely in the level.
 * At the beginning of Heart of the Reich, when Reznov catches Chernov writing to his diary, he says "Which do you think will lead us home? Writing about this war, or fighting it? No one will ever read this!", but then at the end after Chernov is torched by a flamethrower and is dying, he then says "Someone should read this.". This shows that even though he doesn't like Chernov very much for not fighting like Dimitri, he shows compassion for him.
 * The only exception being Vendetta, Reznov Always wears his Fur coat.
 * Reznov will always be a sub-machinegunner, except on Vendetta where he is a Sniper. Even so, he will only be a sniper for several seconds, as he obtains a PPSh-41 sub-machine gun.
 * Reznov could have been offered promotions, but it's unknown what rank he is in Call of Duty: Black Ops.
 * In the above photo of Reznov stabbing the VC soldier, a U.S. ARMY branch tab can clearly be seen over his left breast pocket.
 * Reznov's first name is Viktor, as revealed in the Kotaku article.