Vladimir Pushkin was an oligarch with ties to the Russian Mafia. After the murders of several mafia members in Boston, he sent his primary henchman, Nicolai Itchenko, to investigate the homicides. He was eventually tracked down by Robert McCall in Moscow, who after a short conversation, killed him, ending Pushkin's criminal network.
Biography[]
Rise to Power[]
Vladimir Pushkin was an oligarch based in Moscow with ties to the Russian mob. He established a vast criminal network, which extended to the east and west coasts of the United States. He funded weapons and gasoline and was also involved in criminal activity that particularly dealt with sex trafficking and money laundering. Additionally, Pushkin was considered untouchable due to his wealth and political ties, having various politicians as his moles and several cops under his payroll to aid in his operations. To ensure that his network ran smoothly, he occasionally sent his enforcer Nicolai Itchenko to investigate.
Sending Nicolai[]
After a homicide of Slavi and five men of his by Robert McCall in Boston after a failed attempt to buy the freedom of Alina, a teenage prostitute who had been badly beaten by Slavi, he sent Nicolai to investigate, with assistance from a number of cops under his payroll. After Nicolai canvased rival criminal organizations and reported of a potential perpetrator, Pushkin ordered Nicolai to find and kill McCall so that another incident of that kind wouldn't happen again.
Suffering Setbacks[]
However, attempts to capture McCall failed as he was able to elude and outsmart them due to his extensive military and black-ops training. McCall soon forced Frank Masters, one of the cops under Pushkin's payroll, to expose Pushkin's money laundering warehouses to the police and turn himself in, also gaining Masters' escape plan and detailed data on Pushkin's operations.
With the flash drive he received from Masters, McCall was given a bigger picture of Pushkin's operations, such as Pushkin's political moles and investments in petroleum shipments which recently arrived from Vladivostok. After sending the information to the FBI, McCall destroyed Pushkin's oil tankers, Great Eastern. With his empire being decimated and other parts being shut down, Pushkin demanded Nicolai to deal with McCall or don't return to Russia at all. As a result, Nicolai forced McCall to show up after taking his co-workers hostage at the Home Mart, a hardware store where McCall worked. However, McCall saved his co-workers and killed Nicolai and his team one by one with improvised weapons used from the store's products.
Three days later, McCall arrived in Moscow to confront Pushkin at his mansion, killing all of Pushkin's guards. While Pushkin was showering, he found McCall waiting and realized McCall was behind the murders of his men in Boston. They have a brief conversation, Pushkin says that peace is expensive but can arrange it. However, McCall says he wants the head of the snake - the leader. After McCall left, Pushkin stepped out of the shower and noticed his sink was overflowing. Turning the sink off, he called the guards to find that they were cut off. Unbeknownst to him, there was a lone wire near the water he was standing. He was fatally electrocuted by the charge of it - McCall has achieved his goals by killing the leader, ending Pushkin's criminal network.
Personality[]
We do not find out much about Pushkin or his personality - he is a character that is behind it all, but we only see him at the end, where he is moments from his death. He does think that peace is expensive, and can be arranged, but McCall thinks that money won't solve those problems, so leaves Pushkin to die.
Quotes[]
- Vladimir Pushkin : Who are you?
- Robert McCall : Everybody wants to know.
- Vladimir Pushkin : So it's you... and now you've come to kill me.
- Robert McCall : Yes.
- Vladimir Pushkin : Then tell me: what do you gain from my death?
- Robert McCall : Peace.
- Vladimir Pushkin : What do you want?
- Robert McCall : I want the head of the snake.
- Vladimir Pushkin : Was my message received, Teddy?
- Teddy : Yes, Mr. Pushkin. All of our associates - Irish, Italians, Armenians - are all denying any knowledge or involvement.
- Vladimir Pushkin : We cannot show weakness. I need this wrapped up quickly.
- Teddy : It will be.
- [in Russian]
- Teddy : Of course, don't worry.
- Vladimir Pushkin : [in Russian] Good.
- [switching to English]
- Vladimir Pushkin : Now, enough of what you don't know. Tell me what you do know.
- Teddy : Well, I'm still sifting through things, but the killings were spontaneous. Whoever did this specialized in killing. I've rarely seen skills like this. I don't think it's someone we've encountered before.
- Vladimir Pushkin : Whoever it is, just find him, Teddy. I'm talking over a million barrels this delivery.
- [in Russian]
- Vladimir Pushkin : Understand?
- Teddy : [in Russian] It will all be well.
- [switching to English]
- Teddy : I'll take care of it.
- Vladimir Pushkin : When you do, be loud about it. I don't want this happening again.