Ivan Raidenovitch Raikov

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

Early life and career
Raikov was born sometime during the mid 1930s to early 1940s. He later became an elite member of GRU. Although the Soviet military did not approve of Raikov's abuse of his soldiers, Volgin's influence prevented them from doing anything about it. He also gained a bit of a reputation in the West for his abusive actions. 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.

Zero at one point during the Virtuous Mission told Naked Snake, upon the latter learning of the mask's history, that should he ever encounter Raikov during the mission despite being in the KGB's sphere of influence rather than GRU's sphere of influence, he "beat the crap out of him."

Because of his status as Volgin's lover, 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. A week after the Virtuous Mission, because of this exemption, as well as being the soldier closest to Snake's build, EVA advised Naked Snake to steal Raikov's uniform and impersonate him. Snake, after managing to infiltrate Groznyj Grad, had located Raikov within the East Wing of the weapons lab during his rounds around the premises, and knocked him unconscious. He then dragged him into a nearby locker and after stealing his clothing, leaving him in nothing more than his underwear, sealed him inside. Snake then donned Raikov's uniform, along with the face mask designed by Sigint, and proceeded with his mission. Raikov was later discovered and relocated from Groznyj Grad.

Sometime after Naked Snake (Big Boss) completed Operation Snake Eater, Raikov lost his position due to his abusive ways against his soldiers and was imprisoned, the Kremlin having evidentially taken the opportunity to punish Raikov for his abuse of authority due to Volgin's demise in Operation Snake Eater. He was then promptly exiled to the San Hieronymo Peninsula and detained there. In addition, presumably because of his well-known abuse of various Soviet soldiers prior to his exile, the personnel frequently humiliated him as revenge. An unspecified time later, a spy unit belonging to Snake's resistance group, located Raikov, and he was later released by the team largely because of his previous experience and rank within GRU. 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 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. He also viewed working for the man who murdered Volgin as a better alternative to remaining in his cell, humiliated.

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), was also known as Jack.

Personality and traits
Raikov outwardly appeared to be polite and mild-mannered, although he was described to be "the kind of person who sits in his room and admires his bug collection." He was also well known in Groznyj Grad as a glutton, frequently eating any food he came across, although he had a weak stomach and would often run to the bathroom after eating. Raikov had a handsome appearance and was the favorite soldier of Colonel Volgin, sometimes being referred to as a "precious pet" of his, and was also his lover. He also wore a thong emblazoned with a lightning bolt, in reference to his relationship with Volgin. Because of Raikov's relationship with Volgin, he is also one of the few people Volgin genuinely cared for their well being, having notably beaten Naked Snake to a pulp in retribution to Snake "hurting" Raikov when he discovered that he disguised himself as Raikov. Raikov also had effeminate characteristics, and was also implied by EVA to be homosexual. 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.

From a psychological standpoint it appears likely that Raikov is not a sadist, but a coward. His tendency to abuse others was not a part of his character, but seemingly just an abuse of the power he had under Volgin's protection as this trait did not carry on after Volgin's death. Further more, if an alert is raised in the East wing of Groznyj Grad, Raikov will run and hide in the bathroom as opposed to face the enemy alongside the guards he so readily injures. Due to this abuse not being a persistant trait of his personality and his evident cowardice in battle, his sadistic behavior seems solely the result of trying to please and take advantage of his relationship with his commanding officer.

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. 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 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.

Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater
In Metal Gear Solid 3, much humor is derived from the resemblance of Ivan Raidenovitch Raikov (イワン・ライデノヴィッチ・ライコフ) to his partial namesake, Raiden, from Metal Gear Solid 2. In addition, according to the Director's Commentary, Raikov's patronymic name was also partially a pun on the term "Thunderbolt's Bitch" ("Raiden" being the Japanese word for thunder and lightning), referring to Raikov's relationship with Colonel Volgin. The character even looks directly toward the camera when EVA makes a subtle reference to this. Raikov was created in response to the controversy surrounding Raiden following his replacement of Solid Snake as the main character in Metal Gear Solid 2. His similarity to Raiden is further referenced in the Secret Theatre 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.

Another connection with the name "John" in Raikov's name is that his middle name 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 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 appared to have had their ranks changed.

According to a commentary by director 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.

His last name, "Raikov", also bears some resemblance to "Raikou," which was also the nickname of the legendary Japanese warrior Minamoto no Yorimitsu.

Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops
While his recruitment into Naked Snake's resistance group in Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops has not been officially confirmed as canon, the official strategy guide for the game covered the mission in the main walkthrough, while disregarding EVA's, Para-Medic's, or Sigint's missions. Kojima originally 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 likewise also implied that Snake knocking out Raikov was canon. 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.

Even though it was stated that Raikov would be brought back into the Soviet military after he participated in stopping ICBMG's launch, during the San Hieronymo Incident, it was not revealed whether he actually did return to the Soviet Union, or if he ended up in America in the aftermath, like the other members of Snake's resistance. Raikov's stats indicate that he knows CQC at the A-level.

Besides his recruitment mission, Raikov was also briefly referenced (albeit not by name) in an optional radio call to Para-Medic, where she recounts some things about Naked Snake during Operation Snake Eater, when playing as any soldier besides Naked Snake.

Other appearances
Raikov was later supplied with three cards based on his likeness in Metal Gear Solid: Social Ops.

Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater
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. 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. 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 may also perform the 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 Snake regarding exposing the Patriots) and "Today is the day I met you" (said to Rosemary, 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.
 * 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 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.

Raikov also has many other notable behaviors in-game:
 * 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.
 * 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."
 * 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, 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.

In the original Metal Gear Online, bundled with Metal Gear Solid 3: Subsistence, Raikov is featured as a playable character. He himself carries the XM16E1. In addition, he also has a special CQC method, where, after grabbing the opponent, then crouches 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 can perform while disguised as Raikov. Raikov can only be playable when the highest-ranking player chooses GRU. Similar to the main game, he is also immune to the book item.

Portable Ops recruitment
"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

''If given the option, and as noted above, the player can recruit Raikov. 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").

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. Similarly, Raiden, the character Raikov was partly based on, cannot use the acrobatic kick in Portable Ops Plus for the same reason.