Overview
Major Ivan Raikov is part of the Russian military intelligence group known as GRU. It is made blatantly obvious that Raikov is Colonel Volgin's lover. According to EVA, he also shares Volgin's sadistic personality, sometimes "punching soldiers in the face because he felt like it." His appearance highly (and deliberately) resembles that of Raiden from Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty (in fact Raidenovitch means "Son of Raiden"in Russian). Raikov has many quirks that accentuate his homosexual preference. For instance, unlike other enemies, Raikov does not fall for the book or adult magazine trick (he simply walks past it). Also, when Naked Snake strips down Raikov, he finds out that Raikov wears a thong with a lightning bolt on it.
Purpose in Metal Gear Solid 3
In MGS3, players must attack Raikov and steal his clothes in order to travel freely through Groznyj Grad and reach Sokolov and the Shagohod. When players use CQC on Raikov and threaten him with the survival knife, Raikov will give Naked Snake information on Colonel Volgin. If they continue to threaten him with a knife, he will spit out lines used by Raiden during MGS2. When players encounter Raikov and use the mask given to them in the beginning of the game, he will gaze at them with much self loving adoration. After stripping Raikov, players who use the Raiden mask as well as the uniform are free to roam around Groznyj Grad and beat up as many soldiers and scientists as they please (however killing scientists or soldiers will result in an alert phase). The soldiers will not find it out of the ordinary if you punch them, seeing as how Raikov does it on a regular basis according to EVA. If player(s) do kill Raikov, he will appear during The Sorrow's gauntlet as an naked ghost grabbing his
Naked Snake disguised as Raikovcrotch (similar to Raiden during the events following the torture sequence in Sons of Liberty). Eventually, after reaching Sokolov, players will encounter Colonel Volgin, who accidentally blows Snake's cover with a surprise crotch grab. Unfortunately, Naked Snake's genitals do not match those of Raikov, and Colonel Volgin begins an electric torture session on him after the Boss weakens and disarms Snake.
Purpose in Metal Gear Online
Raikov leading the GRU unitRaikov leads the G.R.U. faction in the online portion of the Subsistence release. At the end of each round, the player in the GRU unit with the highest score gets to become Raikov. He uses the same vicious crotch grab that Colonel Volgin performed in Snake Eater, which results in an instant knockout.
Purpose in Metal Gear Solid Portable Ops
Players can recruit Raikov during a side-quest in Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops. In order to find him and recruit him, players must place spies in the Western Wilderness. According to the story, Raikov has fallen down in rank because the cruel way in which he treats his soldiers. Roy Campbell convinces Raikov to join Naked Snake's efforts because he would gain heroic status for stopping a nuclear catastrophe and regain his rank.
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