Viktor Chagarin was a corrupt, high-ranking Russian official and former partner of Yuri Komarov. He planned to have his former partner assassinated to prevent him from testifying against him with the file that Komarov claims to have against him and take back the weapons grade uranium for himself. He is the tertiary antagonist in A Good Day to Die Hard.
Early Life[]
Chagarin and Komarov were once partners in ciphering weapons-grade uranium in Chernobyl. But after the nuclear meltdown in Chernobyl, they fell apart and became bitter enemies. Five years before, Chagarin had Komarov locked up as part of his political maneuver. At the time, he was a candidate for the position of Defence Minister of Russia.
A Good Day to Die Hard[]
Viktor Chagarin pays a secret visit to his former friend, Yuri Komarov, the latter of whom is playing chess in his prison cell. After Komarov refuses to reveal the location of a file containing damning evidence against him, Chagarin leaves to coordinate with his henchmen. He is next seen fraternizing with Komarov's beautiful daughter Irina, who is revealed to be working for him.
He is later seen exiting the courthouse and instructing his henchmen to retrieve the file from Komarov. The henchmen use explosives to destroy a convoy and part of the courthouse so they can abduct Komarov and take the file. Luckily, because Komarov was guarded by CIA agent, Jack McClane, he escaped. However, Chagarin orders his chief henchman, Alik, to go after them in an armored truck. They chase Komarov and a violent car chase and shootout ensues, however Komarov still escapes. Chagarin expresses distaste in this and he orders his men to attack the safe house Komarov is hiding out in. They do so, but yet again he escapes with Jack and Jack's father, John McClane.
Finally, Chagarin's men capture Komarov in a hotel when he is trying to retrieve a file, and Komarov reveals that the safe he was looking for doesn't actually contain the file itself, but rather the key needed to open the safe deposit box the file is stored in. Komarov is taken by helicopter to Chernobyl, Ukraine and it is revealed that there is no file at all: only a room filled with armored cases of weapons-grade enriched uranium that was to be used in the nuclear reactor before the meltdown.
Chagarin's death by Komarov's hitman.
Komarov reveals himself as the true villain, kills Alik, and calls Chagarin, who is receiving a message in a sauna. When he answers the call, he thought it was Alik, but instead it was Komarov who called him. Komarov chastises Chagarin for his betrayal of him, his corruption and his attempt to steal all of his money in the company they both built together. At this time, a hitman disguised as a masseur arrives and strangles Chagarin to death. A pleased Komarov happily listens to his agonized cries of pain over the phone and hangs up, his revenge mission completed. He was the 23rd terrorist killed in the operation.
Trivia[]
- He appears to be the film's primary antagonist, until the role is filled by Yuri Komarov.