General Barkov

"Mature Content Warning!" The content featured in this article may feature mature subjects or situations that aren't suitable for younger viewers. If you are 18 years or older or if you're comfortable viewing graphic material, feel free to view this page.

Scrappy
Full Name	Roman D. Barkov
Alias	General Barkov Novyy Korol Russia's Protector King of Urzikstan
Origin	Call of Duty: Modern Warfare (2019)
Allies	His army
Powers / Skills	Exceptional intelligence Mastery of psychological warfare Leadership Military training Advanced gunmanship Marksmanship Charisma Expertise in torturing others
Goals	Take over Urzikstan under the claim of "protecting" Russia from terrorism. Get rid of all obstacles in his way. Defeat the ULF and Al-Qatala in order to destroy Urzikstan completely. Kill Farah and Hadir Karim. (all failed)
What failed with the character?	Comes out a flat villain who is particularily evil and cruel for no apparent reasons and was supposed to be viewed an extremist.
Type of Scrappy?	Delusional Warlord

“	This country is a breeding ground for terrorists. I am here to bring law and order to this land and no terrorist thief will harm my country! I will protect Russia!	„
	~ Barkov explaining his goals as he tortures Farah Karim

General Roman Barkov is the main antagonist of the 2019 first-person shooter game Call of Duty: Modern Warfare.

He is a Russian army general who leads an army of loyal Russian soldiers and mercenaries to purge and control Urzikstan "protect" his country, believing it to be a "breeding ground" for terrorists. His goals lead him into conflict with the U.S. military, C.I.A., S.A.S. and the U.L.F. He is the archenemy of Commander Farah Karim and her brother Hadir Karim.

He is voiced by Konstantin Lavysh.

What Makes Him a Scrappy?

• Barkov’s motivations are widely criticized as underdeveloped, with minimal screen time and a lack of meaningful worldbuilding for Urzikstan or its history. His rhetoric about bringing peace and prosperity to the region contrasts with his extreme brutality, which often feels like it exists more for shock value than to deepen the narrative.
  • While Call of Duty antagonists often have exaggerated plans, their motivations are typically rooted in historical context, anti-Western sentiment, or radical ideologies. Barkov’s lack of nuance makes him feel less compelling by comparison.
• His actions lack tangible or strategic goals, coming across as needlessly sadistic and gratuitously violent.
  • Barkov enslaved much of Urzikstan’s population and nearly wiped them out with chemical weapons.
  • He detained and tortured a young Farah and Hadir during the Invasion of Riyzabbi, subjecting them to inhumane conditions to extract information.
  • During Farah’s imprisonment, he executes an imprisoned ULF member, Azadeh, if Farah fails to endure her waterboarding or lies about Karim’s identity, later revealing he knew her identity all along to amplify her despair.
  • His sadism is emphasized through taunts, false promises of kindness, and personal cruelty, such as offering Farah food and water only to discard them.
  • During his occupation of Aqtabi, Barkov subjected its citizens to forced labor and publicly executed those who resisted, including Farah's contact Tariq and several unnamed rebels, forcing residents to watch.
• Even in his final moments, Barkov bargained for his life and displayed no remorse for his atrocities, justifying them as "for the good of Russia," solidifying him as a shallow, cowardly, and delusional warlord.

Trivia

• Due to his over top and stereotypical characterization as an evil Russian patriot, Barkov had became a very popular and memeable character in the russian community where he is often proclaimed as "the national hero".
  • That's said, none of them actually appreciate him as a character, but rather enjoy him in the ironic way, deriding and making fun out of his flat and cartoonishly evil writing.