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This article is about the Soviet GRU major. You may be looking for Raiden, the character whom Raikov was based on.

Ivan Raidenovitch Raikov (Russian: Иван Райденович Райков) was a GRU major, second in command to Colonel Volgin at Groznyj Grad, Tselinoyarsk.

Biography[]

Early life and career[]

Raikov was born sometime during the mid 1930s to early 1940s. He later became an elite member of GRU.[1] Although the Soviet military did not approve of Raikov's abuse of his soldiers, Volgin's influence prevented them from doing anything about it.[2] He also gained a bit of a reputation in the West for his abusive actions.[3] Raikov was originally to have been impersonated by a CIA agent, using a state of the art face mask developed by Sigint, in order to steal secret documents from the Soviet Union, but the mission was aborted prior to its commencement.[4] He also earned at least nine ribbon bars on his uniform for service to the Soviet Union, including the Order of the Red Star.[5]

Operation Snake Eater[]

See also: Virtuous Mission and Operation Snake Eater
Volgin and Raikov photo

EVA's photo of Volgin and Raikov

Having Volgin's favor, Raikov was one of the very few Groznyj Grad members below the rank of Colonel to have access to the West Wing of the Groznyj Grad production facility, to the extent that despite technically only being a Major in rank, he was treated as if he were a colonel.[6] This exemption, and his similar build to FOX agent Naked Snake,[7] made him a target for impersonation during the CIA's Operation Snake Eater in September 1964. During the time of Operation Snake Eater, he frequently made patrols around the east wing of Groznyj Grad's weapons lab.[6] At some point between the Virtuous Mission and Operation Snake Eater, Raikov had an illicit encounter with Volgin, with Volgin's girlfriend Tatiyana witnessing and photographing the moment for future use.[8]

Raikov and officers

Raikov salutes two subordinate officers.

While Raikov performed his rounds within the East Wing of the weapons lab, Snake knocked him unconscious and stole his uniform, after following advice from EVA.[9] Raikov, left in nothing more than his underwear, was then placed in a nearby locker and sealed inside. After Snake's deception was revealed, Raikov was discovered, rendering Snake's disguise useless.

Warning: The following information is from outside Hideo Kojima's core "Metal Gear Saga." Its canonicity within the continuity is disputed, therefore reader discretion is advised.[?]

San Hieronymo Incident[]

Main article: San Hieronymo Incident


Sometime after Groznyj Grad's destruction, Raikov lost his position due to his abusive behavior towards his soldiers, the Kremlin having evidently taken the opportunity to punish Raikov due to Volgin's presumed demise.[2] He was then promptly exiled to the San Hieronymo Peninsula and imprisoned there by his soldiers in retaliation for his abuse towards them when Gene incited them to rebel. An unspecified time later, a spy unit belonging to Snake's resistance group, located Raikov, and he was later rescued by the team largely because of his previous experience and rank within GRU.[10][11] After being questioned by subcommander Roy Campbell, Raikov angrily accused Campbell of working for Snake, as well as coming to the peninsula to mock him. However, he was caught by surprise when Campbell asked for his help, since his skills and experience as a GRU major would be useful to them. Although initially hesitant, especially as their leader had presumably killed Colonel Volgin, he later decided to join them, mainly to seek revenge on Gene's army for imprisoning him, and to redeem himself in the eyes of the Soviets.[12] He also viewed working for the man who defeated (or in Raikov's words, murdered) Volgin as a better alternative to remaining in his cell, humiliated.

Non-"Metal Gear Saga" information ends here.

Name[]

Raikov's middle name "Raidenovitch" is patronymic, according to Russian cultural tradition, and means, "Son of Raiden."

Ivan is a Slavic Christian name equivalent to the English "John." Major Zero commented on this, in a radio conversation during Operation Snake Eater, noting that Naked Snake's nickname "Jack" is the diminutive form of John. FOXHOUND operative Raiden, with whom Raikov partially shares his patronymic middle name (Raidenovitch), and to a lesser extent a similar physical appearance, was also known as Jack.

Personality and traits[]

Raikov outwardly appeared to be polite and mild-mannered, although he was described by EVA to be "the kind of person who [sat] in his room and [admired] his bug collection." He was also well known in Groznyj Grad as a glutton,[6] frequently eating any food he came across, although he had a weak stomach and would often run to the bathroom after eating. He was gluttonous to the extent that he was perfectly willing to eat even roadkill if it came his way.[13] He possessed a Makarov pistol like most other Soviet officers, and was known to always carry it even when merely conducting rounds around the East Wing.

MGS3 Raikov thong

Raikov's underwear, featuring a lightning bolt design.

Raikov had a handsome appearance and was the favorite soldier of Colonel Volgin, once referred to by EVA as a "precious pet" of his, and was also his lover. His being Volgin's lover was emphasized by Volgin frequently grabbing his crotch.[14] He also wore a thong emblazoned with a lightning bolt, in reference to his relationship with Volgin.[15] Because of Raikov's relationship with Volgin, he was also the only person whom Volgin genuinely cared for. This became apparent when he beat Naked Snake to a pulp in retribution to Snake "hurting" Raikov to obtain his disguise. Raikov also had effeminate characteristics, and was also implied by EVA to be homosexual.[16][17][18] Raikov also always carried a Makarov with him even when doing rounds around the base. Until the aftermath of Operation Snake Eater, Raikov frequently used his position as major to physically abuse his subordinates for his own amusement, and has apparently slept on duty frequently enough for even his lower rank officers to get irritated with it and demand that he get up.[19] Despite his poor officer skills and abuse, he possessed decent enough combat skills and experience within his rank for him to be considered a priority recruit later on.[10][11] In addition, Raikov always wore gloves even when he didn't need them, such as indoors.

Further more, if an alert was raised in the East wing of Groznyj Grad, Raikov would run and hide in the bathroom as opposed to face the enemy alongside the guards he so readily injured, the closest he gives to any aid is issuing orders to them. That said, however, he was willing to put up an immense fight when cornered and even take advantage of the narrow space within the bathroom stall to beat up his enemy should they follow him in there.[20]

Warning: The following information is from outside Hideo Kojima's core "Metal Gear Saga." Its canonicity within the continuity is disputed, therefore reader discretion is advised.[?]

By the 1970s, Raikov was hesitant to discuss the reasons for his imprisonment on the San Hieronymo Peninsula, reacting angrily when Roy Campbell deduced that it was due to his past actions towards his soldiers.[21] Having been humiliated by the Soviet soldiers on the peninsula, he also held some hatred towards Naked Snake for his part in Colonel Volgin's presumed death, as well as his being indirectly responsible for Raikov's exile. He initially refused to aid Snake and Campbell, although he relented after considering the possibility of being redeemed in the Soviet eyes, as well as viewing working with Snake to be a far better alternative to his then-current position.

Raikov's uniform, during his time as a GRU major and when in exile, was normally used by Summer daily officers, as well as non-commissioned officers and former members of the service DL-astroa.[22]

Non-"Metal Gear Saga" information ends here.

Behind the scenes[]

Ivan Raidenovitch Raikov (イワン・ライデノヴィッチ・ライコフ Iwan Raidenovitchi Raikofu?) is a minor character who debuted in Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater. He first appeared in the E3 2004 trailer, showing the scene where his crotch was grabbed in a similar manner to Johnson grabbing Raiden's crotch in Metal Gear Solid 2. According to Hideo Kojima in an interview with IGN, he admitted he was surprised that not many people were laughing at that moment, and also explained that the scene was a self-parody of Johnson's verification of Raiden's gender. When asked if it had nothing to do with the story for Metal Gear Solid 3, however, Kojima revealed that the scene was indeed very relevant to the story.[23] He later featured as a playable character in Metal Gear Online and Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops.

Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater[]

Character design[]

D62a6059252dd42a4049dea5033b5bb5c9eab878

Ivan Raidenovitch Raikov

Major Raikov's appearance in Metal Gear Solid 3 serves as a parody of Raiden, the main protagonist of Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty, and shares the same Japanese voice actor, Kenyu Horiuchi. Raiden's character received mixed-to-negative reviews for his replacement of Solid Snake as the main star in Metal Gear Solid 2, and much humor is derived from Raikov's characterization and physical resemblance in Metal Gear Solid 3. The similarities are subtly referenced by EVA during a cutscene,[7] with Raikov turning directly toward the camera while briefly smirking. His implied sexual orientation was also a response to complaints from Western audiences regarding Raiden's androgynous appearance. 

Besides the name Ivan, another connection with the name "John" in Raikov's name is that his patronymic Raidenovitch literally means "Son of Raiden." This could also be interpreted as meaning "Son of Thunder", which was another name for the Apostle John (referred to collectively with his brother James as "Sons of Thunder"). Raikov's thong also has a lightning bolt design on it, referring to the meaning of the word Raiden (thunder and lightning). In addition, according to a director's commentary, Raikov's patronymic name was also partially a pun on the term "Thunderbolt's Bitch," referring to Raikov's relationship with Colonel Volgin.[8]

In a leaked voice casting sheet for Metal Gear Solid 3, Raikov was apparently intended to hold the rank of lieutenant, but was changed to major nearing finalization. Other characters (eg, Volgin) also appeared to have had their ranks changed.[1]

According to a commentary by Hideo Kojima, the photo that EVA shows to Snake depicting Raikov and Volgin, was taken while Volgin had his hand inches from Raikov's groin, but it was cut off from the photo's edges.[8] On a similar note, Kojima also elaborates that the specific reason Volgin deduced that "Raikov" was in fact Snake in disguise was because the two had differing crotch sizes.[24] This was also supported by the internal file name for EVA's photograph of Volgin and Raikov, which was called "Homo picture."[25]

Gameplay[]

The player has the option of either killing or knocking out Raikov. Likewise, the calls after gaining Raikov's disguise will be slightly different depending on how the player took him out. Also, if the former option is taken and a guard discovers the body either before putting him inside a locker, or removing him from the locker, it will result in an automatic mission failure. According to Hideo Kojima, the reason for the ambiguity behind Raikov's fate in Snake Eater was because he wanted to have the players act depending on what their views on Raiden were, as choices were the essence of Metal Gear Solid. He also guessed that the European players will probably kill Raikov immediately.[24] When the player returns to Groznyj Grad for the second time, there will be a prototype Sneaking Suit inside the locker in which Raikov's body was previously hidden. If Raikov is spared, what happens to him after his unconscious body is discovered isn't revealed. Although the player can fool the guards, scientists, and officers when wearing the disguise prior to the backfired rescue attempt, it will not fool attack dogs, causing dogs to raise an alert after smelling the player. If the player is killed during alert mode while disguised as Raikov, the soldiers will nonetheless salute Raikov despite knowing that it wasn't him.

Raikov's appearance and actions in-game contain many references to Raiden:

  • Inside the locker, in which Naked Snake hides Raikov's body, there is a Metal Gear Solid 2 promo poster, featuring Raiden.
  • If the player is attacked in close quarters by Raikov, he will use the same punch-punch-kick combo as used by Raiden and to a lesser extent Solid Snake, and may also perform Raiden's somersault maneuver.
  • If the player interrogates Raikov using CQC in Subsistence, he will say several identical or similar to lines said by Raiden in Metal Gear Solid 2, such as "No, never heard the name before" (paraphrased from what Raiden said to Snake regarding the identity on his dog tags), "We'll tell them everything together" (said to Rosemary when proposing to her and regarding teaching their child in the ending) and "Today is the day I met you" (said to Rose, during the ending of Metal Gear Solid 2). He also says "April...30th...", referring to the day Rosemary and Raiden met.
  • Shortly before the torture sequence, Volgin grabs Snake's crotch (while disguised as Raikov) in the same manner President Johnson does to Raiden in Metal Gear Solid 2, even asking "Who are you" afterwards. On a related note, as noted below, Raikov himself will sometimes perform a crotch grab on a disguised Snake in a similar manner to Johnson's action to Raiden.
  • Raikov's comment about feeling watched if the player uses stealth camo nearby (see below) is an indirect reference to Raiden's growing paranoia of the Patriots and doubting his own sanity in Metal Gear Solid 2.
  • During the battle with The Sorrow, if the player had previously killed Raikov when stealing his clothes, Raikov's ghost will be naked and will walk in the same manner as Raiden did when stripped naked.
  • Snake's Raikov disguise will become useless after being caught by Volgin due to both the Groznyj Grad personnel being aware about Snake's previous attempt to infiltrate by disguising himself, as well as his losing his officer's hat during the beatdown. In Metal Gear Solid 2, Raiden's Gurlukovich disguise will become useless after Richard Ames' death because Ocelot took away Raiden's balaclava as well as Raiden's attempt at disguising himself being exposed as a result.
  • EVA, when explaining her plan for Snake to infiltrate Groznyj Grad, says that "[Naked Snake and Raikov] look similar from behind, so [the GRU personnel] won't know the difference", causing Raikov to turn and smirk at the camera, subtly referring to Raiden replacing Solid Snake in Metal Gear Solid 2.
  • Not from Raikov himself, but two radio conversations with Major Zero regarding the Raikov mask and the Raikov disguise, when equipped will have Zero and Snake stating that Zero, "for some reason, hates it," and Snake felt it was "nostalgic", and later that the disguise was "irritating [Zero] already" with the rebuke that it "should make [Snake] more popular", referring to the controversial circumstances regarding Raiden replacing Solid Snake for the main story in Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty. During the Virtuous Mission, he tells Snake that, should he ever encounter Raikov during the mission, he should "beat the crap out of him."

Raikov also has many other notable behaviors in-game:

MGS3 Raikov crotch grab

Raikov grabs the crotch of a scientist-disguised Snake.

  • If Raikov sees the player wearing the Mask and the Scientist uniform, he will sometimes get very close and say "How beautiful." However, he will also sometimes remark "hey...!", glance him a bit and or grab his crotch causing him to fall over (although the player can omit the falling over bit if quick enough). The latter aspect also occurs if the player simply wears the Scientist uniform, and the former aspect most often occurs if the player either bumps into Raikov or is positioned extremely close to Raikov so that, if the latter tries to grab Snake's crotch, he ends up being knocked back as if bumped into.
  • If the player enters the bathroom that Raikov uses in Groznyj Grad with the Stealth Camo equipped and waits for him to enter, he will not use the bathroom and comment "I feel like someone is watching me." He'll also say a similar line, "I have a strange feeling that someone is watching me. Something just doesn't feel right. Oh, just forget it for now." if he had already used the bathroom, but hadn't actually exited while the player is in stealth camo.
    • If the player attempts to directly enter the bathroom while Raikov is using it, he'll shout that it's occupied, and eventually sarcastically asks if the player wants to join him, before "inviting" the player in in an equally sarcastic tone.
  • If the player interrogates Raikov, he will admit that Volgin has an abhorrence towards Russian Glowcap mushrooms, which is correct. During the fight against Volgin, the player can throw a few Russian Glowcaps at him and the mushrooms will absorb his lightning attacks, allowing for a few free hits. Further interrogation will also have Raikov reveal that Volgin is weak to water, which can also be exploited when fighting Volgin later on by shooting the pipes in the arena.
  • If the player attempts to distract Raikov with a magazine, he will only give a brief glance at it and walk away instead of reading through it.
  • If the player knocks out Raikov and leaves him in view of a Soviet officer, the officer will wonder if its Raikov, and upon confirming it, will irritably state that Raikov needs to get up as well as yell "Oh, not again!" The officer will also wake him up gently, instead of the typical kicking awake that soldiers usually do to their comrades.
  • If the player by modifying the game ends up wearing Raikov's uniform and the Raikov mask without actually taking out Raikov beforehand and runs into him, Raikov will force himself into a saluting pose and quiver while ordering for Snake to "do [his] job!" If done while a soldier is nearby, the soldier will also salute alongside Raikov. If the real Raikov is knocked into a nearby soldier, the soldier will say upon getting up "K...Keep up the fine work, sir!" and salute in a nervous manner.[26]

The BradyGames Guide for Subsistence, when covering the likelihood of fighting Raikov during Alert Mode, implies that his hiding in the bathroom was actually a means to lure the player into a trap due to his sadistic impulses.[27]

Metal Gear Solid 3: Subsistence[]

GRUunit

Major Raikov and GRU soldiers in Metal Gear Online (Subsistence version).

In the original Metal Gear Online, bundled with Metal Gear Solid 3: Subsistence, Raikov was featured as a playable character. He himself carried the XM16E1. In addition, unlike the other characters, he did not utilize the usual grab and throw move for CQC. Instead, he had a special CQC method, where, after grabbing the opponent, then crouched to perform a Crotch Grab, instantly knocking out the opponent, a reference to one of his actions in the main game. His salute was the same as the salute the player could perform while disguised as Raikov. Raikov could only be playable when the highest-ranking player chose GRU. Similar to the main game, he was also immune to the book item. The decision to make Raikov immune to the book item was made by Kojima himself.[28]

Raikov's similarity to Raiden is further referenced in the Secret Theater film, Metal Gear Raiden: Snake Eraser, when Raiden, after failing to intercept and kill Big Boss in Groznyj Grad's prison in a manner similar to The Terminator, ends up encountering Volgin. Volgin, upon encountering him, mistakes Raiden for Raikov, and is implied to have assaulted him. Coincidentally, Raiden in this segment also shared Raikov's international voice actor, Charlie Schlatter.

Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops[]

"A GRU officer, he patrols the east building of the Groznyj Grad arsenal. Real name is Ivan Raidenovitch Raikov. Although a major in rank, he is Colonel Volgin's favorite, and is treated as if he were a colonel. Known as a notorious glutton."
―Character description in Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops Plus

The player has the option to recruit Raikov as a unique soldier in Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops. He is also indirectly mentioned by Para-Medic during an optional radio conversation with one of Naked Snake's soldiers. In the section of the BradyGames guide for Portable Ops covering Raikov's recruitment, it explicitly lists Raikov as being homosexual, and also lists his name as "Major Raidenovitch Raikov."[29]

Recruitment[]

This section details how to recruit Raikov. This is one of the few missions that has a limited amount of availability (in this case, once the Spy Unit gives the report for this mission, the player must immediately partake in it, as if not, then it will be marked as a failure before it can even be attempted).

After discovering the location of the Guest House, either by stealing a map from the Rail Bridge, or interrogating a Government Official in the Town, a Spy Unit planted in the Town will report that a detailed map leading to a fortress in the wilderness, at the west side of the peninsula, is located in the area. After heading towards one of the upper level buildings, the map towards the Western Wilderness can be procured.

Place a Spy Unit in the newly located Western Wilderness, and after Snake is rescued from the Guest House, a Spy Report will come in stating that a "handsome Soviet Major" has been sighted in the area and he is being held prisoner. Locate the underground cell in which the Major is imprisoned, avoiding the land mines with a mine detector along the way, to discover that he is none other than Ivan Raidenovitch Raikov. Raikov ultimately decides to join Big Boss, after some persuasion by Campbell.

The PAL password, used as an alternative method to unlock Raikov, is "SKAZKA" (Russian for "fairy tale") and was an indirect reference to a radio call with Zero about Ivan's name in Snake Eater about how "Ivan" was a frequently used name for the youngest child in various Russian fairy tales who often turned out more prosperously than his elder siblings, while the NTSC password is a shorthand for "IVaN" and "RaikoV".

While his recruitment into Naked Snake's resistance group in Portable Ops was never officially confirmed as canon, the official strategy guide for the game covered the mission in the main walkthrough, while disregarding EVA, Para-Medic, and Sigint's missions. Kojima stated in the Metal Gear Solid 3 commentary that Raikov's fate was up to the player, and implied that the reasoning behind it was tied to whether the player liked Raiden or not. The BradyGames guide for Subsistence implied that Snake knocking out Raikov was canon.[30] Raikov losing his position in GRU, as revealed in Portable Ops, is a reference to Metal Gear Solid 3, where the player could attack Soviet soldiers without reprise when disguised as Raikov, as he was "just that kind of guy" from EVA's observations. He wears a new uniform that dated back to immediately prior to his exile. His stats indicate that he knows CQC at the A-level.

Gameplay[]

Metal gear ops (11)

Raikov performing CQC on enemy soldiers in Portable Ops.

Unlike his appearance in Metal Gear Solid 3, Raikov cannot use his acrobatic kick, as he and all of the playable soldiers' (exempting Cunningham) unarmed attacks were reused with that of Naked Snake's. He also cannot use his crotch grab move in this, instead doing a regular CQC takedown/beatdown. Similarly, Raiden, the character Raikov was partly based on, cannot use the acrobatic kick in Portable Ops Plus for the same reason.

One of his gameplay careers is Artist, referring to how he cannot be distracted with the book item in Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater, or in its online component in Subsistence. He also possesses the Athlete ability, which allows him to run faster than other soldiers, an ability he also shares with Raiden. Coincidentially, Raikov's international voice actor, Charlie Schlatter, had previously voiced the DC Comics character The Flash in Superman: The Animated Series, who was well known for his superhuman speed.

Other appearances[]

He appeared as a card in both Metal Gear Acid games, as well as a card in Metal Gear Solid: Social Ops. His cards in the former were called "Lt. Raikov," based on his planned rank during development, although his description correctly identified him as a major. The former game's quote for him is based on what he says if the player tries to barge into his bathroom stall enough times when an alert isn't sounded in Snake Eater.

Although he does not appear in Metal Gear Solid V: Ground Zeroes itself, dummied content for the Metal Gear Solid V: Ground Zeroes Companion App indicated that he would have been an unlockable officer for the Mother Base mode.[31]

Similarly, although he himself does not appear nor get a direct mention in Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain, there's a Soviet soldier mentioned in some enemy chatter the player can listen in to that had a similar name to Raikov, named "Ivan Ivanovitch Ivanov". He was mentioned to be a big science fiction fan who had recently departed with a refill platoon, and had left behind a copy of George Orwell's book Nineteen Eighty-Four, with some Soviet soldiers mentioning it, with it also being implied that Ivanov was at least fluent enough with English to read it. (However, "Ivan Ivanovitch Ivanov" is also the Russian version of the name "John Smith", as in the typical name used for example purposes. The "Ivan Ivanovitch Ivanov" mention in The Phantom Pain is most likely not a reference to Raikov). Ironically, the player can also opt to beat up their own personnel without any reprimands short of murdering them, similar to Raikov's infamous abuse of the soldiers under his command in Snake Eater (although in Snake's case, it's implied from lines of dialogue by the soldiers beforehand that the "beat ups" are sparring matches with the other soldiers).

Owing to it being an adaptation of Metal Gear Solid 3, Raikov appears in the pachislot game by KPE.

Appearances[]

Gallery[]

Notes and references[]

  1. ^ a b c d Metal Gear Solid 3 voice casting sheet [1]
  2. ^ a b Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops, Kojima Productions (2006).
    Roy Campbell: What’d you do, go with the losing side in one of the army’s internal squabbles? Let me guess… with your patron Volgin dead, there’s no one to protect you. You fell from grace and got shuffled off to this God-forsaken outpost.
  3. ^ Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops, Kojima Productions (2006).
    Roy Campbell: I heard all kinds of stories about you before I got here. How you used to abuse your rank and beat up your men for sheer sport. You’re a real piece of work.
  4. ^ Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater, Konami Computer Entertainment Japan (2004).
    The aborted mission is discussed in a radio conversation between Naked Snake and Sigint, in regards to the Raikov Mask. Zero also references this mission in another conversation, again relating to the Raikov Mask.
  5. ^ The ribbon bars can be seen on his uniform render.
  6. ^ a b c Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops Plus, Kojima Productions (2006)
    Soldier list > Major Raikov
    "A GRU officer, he patrols the east building of the Groznyj Grad arsenal.
    "Real name is Ivan Raidenovitch Raikov.
    Although a major in rank, he has Colonel Volgin's favorite [sic], and is treated as if he were a colonel. Known as a notorious glutton."
  7. ^ a b Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater, Konami Computer Entertainment Japan (2004).
    EVA: Steal his clothes. You look similar from behind so they won't know the difference.
  8. ^ a b c http://www.tentenpro.com/muni_shinobu/mgs3/commentary4.html
  9. ^ Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater, Konami Computer Entertainment Japan (2004).
    There are actually two scenarios in which Snake impersonates Raikov: one where he kills him and one where he merely knocks him out. It is unknown which scenario is canon, and the Metal Gear Solid 4 Database only says he was "neutralized." The fact that a Time Paradox is not triggered if Snake kills him also makes his fate ambiguous. Snake needing to obtain his uniform intact, which would otherwise have been ruined by gunshot wounds or blood from lethal attacks, and his neck showing no visible sign of injury from being broken in the aftermath, points towards Raikov being knocked unconscious as a likely option, with it being further supported by EVA suggesting that Snake use the cigarette gas gun to take him out stealthily in an optional radio conversation. Due to this, along with his later appearance in a standard mission within the sequel Portable Ops, this article takes the view that he survived the events of Metal Gear Solid 3.
  10. ^ a b Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops, Kojima Productions (2006).
    Roy Campbell: We’ve received a report that a Soviet officer (Raikov) is being held prisoner in the wilderness on the west side of the peninsula. Our spies say he’s wearing the rank insignia of a major. The enemy of our enemy is our friend. This could be a good chance to snag a new recruit. Let’s go and rescue him. [...] The Soviet officer (Raikov) is being held prisoner in that area. According to our reports, he’s high up in the ranks. He may have some special skills we can use. Rescue him, then get him on our side.
  11. ^ a b Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops, Kojima Productions (2006).
    Roy Campbell: Nope. We’re here to rescue you. // Ivan Raidenovitch Raikov: ...Come again? // Campbell: Gene is planning to attack Russia using the nukes stored in this base and a new type of weapon [ICBMG] he stole from the Americans. // Ivan Raidenovitch Raikov: ... // Campbell: ...And we’re here to stop him. We’d like you to help us--if you can. As an officer, your knowledge and skills could be invaluable to our mission.
  12. ^ Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops, Kojima Productions (2006)
    Ivan Raidenovitch Raikov: …You want me… to join the villain who killed the Colonel? Not a chance… // Roy Campbell: I’m simply proposing that we call a truce--form a unified front. Think about what’s in it for you. Defeating the mastermind behind the rebellion and preventing a nuclear attack on the motherland… You’ll be a hero. The [Red Army] will welcome you back into the fold, and a promotion won’t be far behind.
  13. ^
    "A GRU major, who is Volgin's second-in-command at the Fortress of Groznygrad. He is well-known for his gluttonous excesses within the Fortress. He will even eat road kill. "What, you want to join me? Fine, then. Come on it! [sic]""
    ―Lt. Raikov card description
  14. ^ This was implied in a director's commentary.
  15. ^ Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater, Konami Computer Entertainment Japan (2004).
    When Snake strips Raikov and puts him in the locker, the lightning bolt can be seen on his underwear. The bolt is also a play on his middle name, since "Raiden" is Japanese for "thunder and lightning."
  16. ^ Metal Gear Solid 3 radio conversations#Raikov's special treatment
  17. ^ Metal Gear Solid 3 radio conversations#Raikov's Uniform
  18. ^ Metal Gear Solid 3 radio conversations#Snake can't figure out Raikov
  19. ^ This is implied if the player manages knock out or tranquilize Raikov and leave him in the view of a patrolling officer. The officer will see Raikov, say "Major Raikov?" and upon finding him, will say in an irritated tone "Not again! Major, time to get up."
  20. ^ The player if they follow Raikov into the bathroom will be repeatedly beaten up by Raikov. The BrandyGames guide implies that part of the reason he flees to the bathroom is specifically to lure them there so he could beat them up as part of his more sadistic nature.
  21. ^ Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops, Kojima Productions (2006).
    Roy Campbell: Major Ivan Raidenovitch Raikov, I presume? // Raikov: You are… American? What are you doing here? // Roy Campbell: Heh heh. You first. Why’s a Soviet officer like you being held prisoner in a place like this? // Raikov: I… Well… [...] (after Campbell deduced the reason behind his presence on San Hieronymo) …Bastard! How could you know!? Wait, I get it… you’re an agent of the man they call Snake. The Yankee who killed the colonel at Groznyj Grad! And you came all this way to gloat over me…!
  22. ^ [2]
    Uniform 9: летняя повседневная офицеров, прапорщиков и военнослужащих сверхсрочной службы — для строя.
  23. ^ http://mgsforums.com/topic/268903/1/
  24. ^ a b http://www.tentenpro.com/muni_shinobu/mgs3/commentary5.html
  25. ^ https://twitter.com/avaresst/status/1718103837960012124
  26. ^ https://twitter.com/BadHumans/status/1543673631934496768
  27. ^ Metal Gear Solid 3: Subsistence by BradyGames (2004), page 60
    ;Is this stall taken?
    If an alert is sounded, Raikov hides in the bathroom stall in the northeast part of the lower level. If you enter his area, he may issue orders or punch you, motivated by his own sadistic impulses. Maintain your disguise around the Major until he is in the upstairs locker room and prime for a takedown.
  28. ^ Saving Private Raiden, Page 3
  29. ^ Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops BradyGames Official Strategy Guide (2006), p. 115
    "Saving Major Raidenovitch Raikov
    "Major Raidenovitch Raikov from Groznyj Grad and Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater was known to be Volgin's gay lover. He is held here in the Western Wilderness; you can add him to your party if you rescue him.
  30. ^ Metal Gear Solid 3: Subsistence BradyGames official strategy guide; p. 88
    "Raikov was made a fool of by Naked Snake during operation "Snake Eater" and ultimately knocked out and left to die in one of the lockers in Graznyj [sic] Grad clad only in his underwear."
  31. ^ https://twitter.com/Razgriz87/status/482445377074135040

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