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« Comrades, we have been waiting for this moment for a long time. With the support of our new friends, we have strength and determination like never before. Militarily and politically we have never been so capable, so ready, as now. Imperialists and oppressors say they protect freedom, but instead belittle our homeland and its citizens and deny our freedom to choose our own path. Such is Western hypocrisy. Be ruthless, for Rodina and the bright ideals of our cause!
Mikola Bardak's rallying speech to his subordinates on the eve of their victory over government forces
»


Mikola Bardak is an antagonist in ArmA 2's Operation Harvest Red campaign.

Background[]

Former shadow Justice Secretary and co-founder of the Chernarussian Movement of the Red Star (ChDKZ) party, Bardak is better known for being the leader of the party's secret police force - "Sotnya Syem" (Chernarussian for "Group Seven").

Bardak founded the ChDKZ's secret police organisation and prior to this, was also a leading member of the so-called "Working Man's Defence Alliance" (WMDA) union while employed as a worker for the Solnichniy Quarry Corporation.

Following his arrest in 1999 by government forces after a riot at the quarry over pay and working conditions, Bardak quickly rose through the WMDA's ranks and gained the confidence of its leader, Gregori Lopotev; all the while maintaining a low profile from prying eyes.

The two became close over the years while Bardak acted as his confidant and eventually, second-in-command. His charismatic "teachings" and influence recruited many devout supporters for the burgeoning ChDKZ.

The group's third high-ranking military leader would soon arrive in the form of a man who called himself "Kostey", who had been personally recruited by Bardak after the latter's release from prison.

Bardak would become the party's Chief Political Officer as the ChDKZ's influence slowly infiltrated the northern settlements of South Zagoria. Bardak also maintained contact with and was supplied by Aslan Radayev, the leader of a Bystrica-based arms smuggling ring.

To maintain his "legitimate" appearance, Bardak also once owned a brewery called the Bardak & Sons Distillery in Berezino, though it was eventually burnt down by anti-ChDKZ partisans in November 2008.

Operation Harvest Red (2009)[]

In September 2009, one year after the attacks on his brewery, the ChDKZ - now at the height of its military might and political power, launched a full-scale attack on government forces throughout South Zagoria.

« This is an official statement from the Chernarussian Movement of the Red Star. It is... unforgivable, and unacceptable, that the government of Chernarus does not protect the rights and people of South Zagoria. OUR PARTY WILL NO LONGER TOLERATE IT!

There is no alternative, but to declare the independence of South Zagoria! We have started our fight for freedom and independence! You are all called to stand up to beat this corruption and imperialism from our beloved country!
Transcript of Bardak's televised speech to the country
»

The ChDKZ easily overran their surprised enemies and quickly seized control of most facilities, along with taking over many pro-government villages, towns and cities in the region.

Even the regional capital of South Zagoria - Chernogorsk, was seized by the ChDKZ and the incumbent Prime Minister of Chernarus, Alexander Baranov, was captured during the raid while the latter was on a official visit. To further the ChDKZ's goals, Bardak helped to record Lopotev's live broadcast of their intentions to the world; announcing that the entire country would now be known as the "Chernarussian Socialistic Republic" and would forcibly rejoin the Russian Federation.

PM Baranov was subsequently executed by Bardak's men in retaliation when Lopotev's demands were rejected by the Russian government. Bardak's work wasn't quite over yet however, solidifying the ChDKZ's hold over the region required his immediate attention. His secret police force, Group Seven, began silencing dissidents and pro-government remnants.

However a storm cloud was also beginning to form over the region, as news of an impending American-led intervention arrived. Unsurprisingly, the United States government followed through with its intentions to back the Chernarussian government-in-exile, and U.S. forces invaded South Zagoria in the early hours of October 9th.

At the time Bardak and Lopotev along with several other high-ranking officers of the ChDKZ, were holding a meeting at the ChDKZ-held regional capital of Chernogorsk in a warehouse. The leaders did not anticipate that the Americans would manage to capture the coastal settlements so rapidly, and were completely unaware of their situation until American tanks began opening fire on their positions.

Just as they made plans to flee however, the warehouse where Bardak and the others were holed up in was raided by American special forces. Stunned by flash grenades, Bardak was knocked into the ground and restrained by the Americans.

Fortunately for Bardak, a ChDKZ double agent had "accompanied" the Americans and quickly took them away on his truck, bound for a another warehouse where they could hopefully free themselves. Thanks to the double agent, the truck Bardak and Lopotev were riding in is "ambushed" and are successfully freed.

« Bardak: ...I agree my friend, but where do we go? Where do we go?
Lopotev: Ah I don't know... Vishnoye maybe?
Bardak: Vishnoye! The Americans are nearly there already!
Lopotev: I need to see that bumpkin farmer. That's what counts.
Bardak: Well... It's your decision Akula of course...
Bardak and Lopotev discuss their escape plans
»

Knowing that more Americans would find them again soon, Bardak ushered Lopotev away while leaving Kostey - who had helped "ambush" the double agent's truck, dealt with the remaining Marines. Bardak and Lopotev immediately went into hiding in the hopes that the foreigners would pass by their position. They could then slip undetected back into the northern regions where their base of operations were located.

To minimise the risk of both being caught together again, Lopotev and Bardak went their separate ways. Lopotev would be heading straight for Vyshnoye to meet with a ChDKZ sympathiser, while Bardak would hide at Shakhovka and wait for an opportunity to arrive. After waiting for several hours, Bardak boarded a getaway car and headed straight for Krasnostav.

Not long after he departed Shakhovka, his car suddenly took fire from an unknown source and disabled his engine. Bardak abandoned the vehicle and tried to escape on foot but was immediately surrounded and held at gunpoint by a team of American Marines.

Bardak pretended to comply with the Americans' orders, but he still had a pistol hidden in his pocket. While "trying" to raise his hands into the air, Bardak grabbed his sidearm and attempted to shoot his assailants.

« Cooper: Hey you!... Stop! Now!... You bastard... STOP OR I WILL FIRE!
Bardak: Don't shoot...OK, fine, don't shoot. Please, no shoot! Surrender, surrender.
Cooper: Get down! Down on the ground! Now! Down!
Bardak: You're dead!! (pulls out pistol)
Cooper: (shoots Bardak's leg) Down asshole! You move and I'll kill you! Understand?!
USMC Force Recon Sergeant Matthew Cooper re-captures Bardak
»

The Americans quickly disarmed him with a shot to his leg and proceeded to restrain him. More U.S. Marines arrived on the scene with CDF soldiers, bringing the fugitive back to the safety of government lines.

Fate[]

The next day however, Bardak wasn't brought back to be sent to trial but was to face interrogation at the hands of a CIA agent. The American was following a trail left by Aslan Radayev, a well-known associate and arms supplier for the ChDKZ.

The agent thoroughly interrogated Bardak and eventually forced him to break; spilling whatever information he knew on Radayev's whereabouts. Bardak revealed that Radayev wasn't based in South Zagoria, but was actually hiding in the Bystrica region instead.

Bardak's fate ultimately remains in doubt as he is not heard from ever again though presumably, he continues to remain under the tight custody of the Chernarussian government.

Personality and Appearance[]

Bardak is a forty year old Slavic male with a short, greyed head of hair and beardless face. His standard attire consists of a black leather jacket, khaki sweater, Rastr-camouflaged pants and a black beret.

Eldest amongst the leaders of the ChDKZ, Bardak is often viewed to be the most cosmopolitan and well-versed member of the three.

Owing to his experience as a shadow minister in the Chernarussian government, he is much more refined compared to Lopotev, and is far less narcissistic when matched against Kostey. On the outside, this would make him appear to be quite rational and seem like a well-educated statesman.

Those who weren't unaware (or otherwise) to his activities as the leader of Group Seven however, would quickly realise that Bardak was nothing more than an authoritarian. He desired absolute power at all costs - perhaps even more so than Lopotev, a desire that his critics and victims understood only too well.

Trivia[]

  • Bardak is the only main member of the ChDKZ who is captured successfully by the USMC. Kostey dies at the hands of Force Recon callsign Sabre Team, while Lopotev falls into the custody of the Russian government late in the campaign.
  • He presumably has an immediate family member/relative named "Oleksa", though he is not actually mentioned or seen in the campaign itself.
    • After the attack on the Bardak & Sons Distillery, Oleksa issues a statement to the media denying allegations of links between the "family business" and the ChDKZ.

See also[]

Characters of ArmA 2
USMC 27th MEU Carl DresslerDavid ArmstrongEd Winter* • John MaddoxShaftoe
Force Recon Brian O'HaraChad Rodriguez† • Ian Simmons† • Matthew CooperMartin Zelmanski† • Patrick Miles† • Peter Adamson† • Randolph SykesRobert Johnson† • Sanjeev Raj† • Steve Kaminski
U.S. Army Task Force Knight Ben HerreraC.F. KaneGarry PierceHoward Drake
Delta Force Terry Graves
ACR Bohuslav KoubaJan KristekTomáš VybíralZabu
CDF BegunovR.A. StavovichTomas Marny
ChDKZ Gregori Lopotev* • Kostey† • Mikola Bardak* • Nikola Nikitin
Russian Armed Forces Karelin† • Lev Zotkin* • Mikhail Istcov* • Shagarov
NAPA Prizrak† • Little JohnYidashYuri Olegich
British Army Jack GallagherJames IrvinePhilip Stephenson
Bystrican Militia Andrej KasunBorz KazbekovDragan KasunRadan Miyović
Smugglers Aslan Radayev
ION Brian FrostFrank "Tanny" Radcliffe† • Henry AsanoJames Eckersley† • Mark ReynoldsPatrick Dixon† • Roland Saunderson
Takistani Army Muhammad R. Aziz

Civilians

Anita BakerAntonia LagushinaIvan Ruce† • Joe Harris† • Josef Sova† • Rita EnslerValentina Galkina† • Vojtech Hladik
indicates deceased characters | * indicates character status is unknown
DLCs that the character was first introduced in:
Operation Arrowhead | British Armed Forces | Private Military Company | Army of the Czech Republic
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