Nikolai

"Da - I know a place."

- Nikolai to Price at the end of Modern Warfare 2.

"Nikolai" (Russian: Николай) is a major character in the Call of Duty: Modern Warfare series. He was a Russian informant for the British S.A.S. and later supporter of John Price and John "Soap" MacTavish in stopping the Ultranationalists and Vladimir Makarov.

He was voiced by Sven Holmberg, and Robin Atkin Downes in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3.

Downes also played Tenzin, and voiced Minh Young Kim, Kazuhira Miller, Roy Campbell, Cham Syndulla, Rico Rodriguez, Michael Becket, Hoot Loop, Blades, David "Section" Mason and will voice Travis Touchdown.

Early Career
"Nikolai" was born in August of 1969 in the USSR, and later joined the Soviet Army, and was part of a anti-tank rifle unit. He rose to the rank of senior sergeant, and participated in the Soviet-Afghan War, and was pilot during his military service. After leaving the Soviet Army, he became a double agent for the British S.A.S. and became the leader of the Loyalists, a group of Russians who went against the Ultranationalists. Nikolai later considered Yuri his best man of the Loyalists, and knew of hatred of Vladimir Makarov.

Modern Warfare
"The Americans are making mistake. They will never take Al-Asad alive."

- Nikolai to Price and Gaz.

Nikolai gave the SAS intel on a cargo ship, which Captain Price, Lieutenant Gaz, Sergeant John "Soap" MacTavish, and SAS soldiers went and collect intel. Nikolai was eventually compromised and detained by the Ultranationalists, and was tortured by them in a village. Captain Price, Gaz and Soap worked with the Loyalists and Kamarov to rescue him from the Ultranationalists. The team rescued him from the Ultranationalists after cutting off the power, allowing to eliminate soldiers in the dark, and take the informant back to their helicopter.

The Black Hawk helicopter carrying the team was shot down by the Ultranationalists, but Nikolai, Price, Gaz, Soap and SAS soldiers survived and continued their way while dodging soldiers. The team get the aid of a AC-130, and are evacuated in a second helicopter to a safe house in Hamburg. Later on, Nikolai sends the SAS coordinates to Khaled Al-Asad's safehouse in Azerbaijan.

Modern Warfare 2
"My friend, from up here, it looks like the whole village is trying to kill you!"

- Nikolai to Soap.

John "Soap" MacTavish, now captain of Task Force 141, is left stranded with his team in Brazil, since the United States were barred from entering Brazilian airspace due to the Russian invading the U.S. Soap calls Nikolai to extract them from Brazil, and they succeed in escaping despite Roach having to run back to the rooftops.

After General Shepherd's betrays Task Force 141, Price calls Nikolai to rescue him and Soap from the Boneyard in Kandahar, Afghanistan. After being extracted, Price and Soap decide to kill General Shepherd, and Nikolai drops them off at Site Hotel Bravo. Despite being told that it was a one-way trip, Nikolai returns to rescue Price and a wounded Soap, who killed Shepherd. When Price asks Nikolai can they get out of there, Nikolai responds that he knows a place.

Modern Warfare 3
"He's going for the chopper! Run!"

- Nikolai's last words in game.

Nikolai takes Price and Soap to his safehouse in Himachal Pradesh, India, where he has a doctor work on Soap before Makarov's forces attack. During the attack, Nikolai has Yuri work with Price as he carries Soap to his helicopter, succeeding despite Yuri nearly being killed by a Russian helicopter.

Nikolai later aids the group when capturing Waraabe in Somalia, flying a hind and giving Yuri a remote to give him targets to kill. Nikolai's hind is shot down when attempting to extract the group, and is rescued by them before the Somali Militia can kill him in a sandstorm. Price, Soap and Yuri later attempt to assassinate Makarov, but is compromised, and Soap's wounds re-open, causing him to die of blood loss. Soap's final words is that Yuri knows Makarov, and Price interrogates him, learning that Yuri was Makarov's friend until he ordered a nuclear device that killed countless people.

Nikolai helps Price and Yuri deploy in a raid at Karlstejn, and informs Delta Force of Makarov's hunt for the Russian president's daughter, Alena Vorshevsky. After the United States and Russia agreed to talk about a peace treaty, the Third World War ended, and Nikolai assisted Price and Yuri in killing Makarov.

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare
"Barkov is a stain on my country, it will not stand."

- Nikolai to Farah Karim.

Main article: Nikolai (2019)

Nikolai appears in the 2019 reboot, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare, being referred to as an "old comrade" by Captain John Price. He assists in helping Price capture The Butcher, and the SAS and Farah Karim's forces to kill General Roman Barkov, and destroying Barkov's gas factory.

He is voiced by Stefan Kapičić.

Trivia

 * His real name is never revealed in the series.
 * In Call of Duty: Heroes, he is referred to as The Engineer dropping supply drops.