Actor: Nicholas Worth

Name: Alexander Romanov*Russian name:* Александр Романов*Nationality:* Soviet*Affiliation:* Soviet Union*Position:* Premier of the Soviet Union*Rank:* Commander-in-Chief of the Soviet Armed Forces*Adviser:* Yuri*General:* Vladimir*Pet:* Sam, a tortoise*Conflicts:* Third World War, Psychic Dominators crisis*Appearances:* Red Alert 2, Yuri's Revenge
Status: Varies depending on the timeline: imprisoned in the Allied timeline, dead in the Soviet campaign of Red Alert 2.

Alexander Romanov is the leader of the Soviet Union during the events of Red Alert 2. Initially presented as a man of peace chosen with the Allies’ approval to lead a weakened USSR, he in fact harbours a deep hatred of the West and methodically prepares for Soviet revenge.

His reign leads to the Third World War, but his ambition is ultimately overshadowed by that of his own adviser, Yuri, whose psychic powers enable him to gradually take control of the regime.

A leader chosen by the Allies

Following the defeat of Stalin’s Soviet Union, the Allies sought to prevent Russia from once again becoming a military threat.

Romanov then emerged as the ideal candidate. He had built a reputation as a peaceful leader favouring good relations with the West, to the extent that he gained the trust of Allied officials.

This image, however, was misleading.

Romanov never forgot the Soviet defeat nor his country’s humiliation. Haunted by memories of the war and driven by a deep hostility towards the Western powers, he sought to restore the power of the Soviet Union.

He also has roots linked to the House of Romanov, the former Russian imperial dynasty, which ironically contrasts with his role as a communist leader.

The rearmament of the Soviet Union

Once in power, Romanov secretly begins to rebuild the Soviet military apparatus.

His main ally in this endeavour is Yuri, a former member of the psychic programme developed under Stalin. Yuri becomes his adviser and contributes to the development of new Soviet psychic technologies.

Romanov also used the World Socialist Alliance to extend Soviet influence and establish a network of nations likely to support a new offensive.

Whilst the West continued to regard him as a relatively harmless leader, the USSR thus gradually regained its military might.

The invasion of the United States

Romanov eventually reveals his true intentions by launching a massive attack on the United States.

President Michael Dugan immediately attempts to respond with a nuclear strike, but Yuri uses his psychic abilities to manipulate the officials responsible for launching the American Scorpion Rockets. The counter-attack fails and Soviet forces are able to continue their offensive.

One of Romanov’s first major targets is the Pentagon, the destruction of which is intended to disrupt the American military command.

Thus begins the Third World War.

Romanov, Vladimir and Yuri

The Soviet government relies primarily on three figures:

Romanov represents political power;Vladimir commands a significant portion of the military forces;Yuri oversees the psychic programmes and acts as a personal adviser to the Premier.

This organisation quickly becomes unstable.

Vladimir is suspicious of Yuri, whilst the latter gains ever-greater influence over Romanov.

The Premier even goes so far as to promote Yuri to head of the Soviet armed forces, a decision which naturally provokes Vladimir’s anger. In the Soviet countryside, this decision is closely linked to the psychic influence Yuri exerts over Romanov.

Yuri’s puppet

Romanov gradually realises that he is no longer truly in control of his own government.

Yuri possesses enough power to manipulate his mind and influence his decisions. The man who thought he was using psychic technologies to ensure Soviet domination thus becomes the victim of his own weapon.

In the Soviet campaign, Yuri eventually neutralises Romanov and takes de facto control of the Soviet Union.

Vladimir is subsequently accused of the Premier’s death.

The Soviet Commander, convinced of his guilt, is tasked with eliminating him.

Romanov’s final message

Romanov, however, had realised early on that Yuri posed a threat.

Before his death, he managed to secretly record a video message revealing his adviser’s betrayal.

After Vladimir’s disappearance, Zofia passed this recording on to the Soviet Commander. He then realised he had been manipulated: Vladimir was not the real enemy, and Yuri had used him to eliminate his Rivals.

The Commander then turns his forces against Yuri and attacks Moscow.

In this branch of the story, Romanov is therefore dead, but his final message indirectly brings about the downfall of the man who had betrayed him.

The Soviet Defeat

The Allied campaign leads to a completely different outcome.

The Allied Forces eventually repel the invasion and launch a counter-offensive all the way to Moscow.

Romanov then attempts to flee.

He is eventually found in a particularly humiliating situation and captured by the Americans. Photographs of his capture then circulate around the world, destroying the image of the powerful Soviet leader.

He is tried and then imprisoned in the Tower of London.

This outcome forms the continuity leading to the events of Yuri's Revenge.

Yuri's Revenge

The deployment of Yuri’s Psychic Dominators once again upends the global situation.

The Soviets and the Allies must now face a common enemy.

However, the events involving time travel create several narrative branches in which Romanov finds himself in different situations.

The Allied Campaign

In the Allied campaign, Romanov once again becomes a key figure.

Faced with the threat from Yuri, the Soviet Union agrees to cooperate with its former enemies. Romanov remains the Soviet representative and takes part in the temporary alliance against Yuri's Army.

In particular, he signs the London Peace Treaty with the Allies, enabling the two former enemy powers to focus their efforts against Yuri.

The man who had launched the invasion of the United States thus finds himself forced to fight alongside those he sought to destroy.

The Soviet Campaign

In the Soviet campaign of Yuri's Revenge, Romanov is initially still a prisoner in the Tower of London.

Nevertheless, he manages to secretly contact the Soviet forces and informs the Commander of the existence of the Allied Time Machine.

This information gives the Soviets the opportunity to alter history.

The Commander uses the machine to travel back to the time of the Third World War and alter the course of the conflict. He is thus able to prevent certain Allied victories and create a new timeline far more favourable to the Soviet Union.

Romanov then regains a position of power and is once again able to lead Soviet operations against Yuri.

A Deceptive Personality

Romanov is a deliberately extravagant caricature of a Soviet leader.

He can come across as warm, jovial and even comical. He enjoys simple pleasures, is very attached to his tortoise Sam and sometimes adopts an almost paternal attitude towards his Commanders.

But this façade must not obscure his true personality.

Romanov is also a vengeful dictator who is secretly plotting a world war after gaining the Allies’ trust. His determination to restore Soviet power leads to a large-scale invasion, and millions of people find themselves caught up in the conflict.

This contradiction is a major part of the character’s appeal: Romanov can shift in an instant from a menacing head of state to an almost comical figure.

Romanov and Yuri

The relationship between Romanov and Yuri is central to Red Alert 2.

Romanov initially believes that Yuri is his most valuable adviser. Yuri’s powers enable the Soviet Union to develop a new generation of psychic weapons and contribute directly to the initial success of the invasion.

But Yuri is pursuing his own agenda.

As the war progresses, he turns Romanov into a puppet and gradually eliminates anyone likely to stand in his way.

The balance of power thus ends up being completely reversed:

Romanov uses Yuri to reconquer the world; Yuri uses Romanov to take control of the Soviet Union.

This betrayal directly sets the stage for the events of Yuri's Revenge, when the former adviser definitively abandons the USSR in an attempt to dominate the planet himself.

Alexander or Alexis Romanov?

The character is officially named Alexander Romanov in English-language sources and Александр Романов in Russian. However, some localisations and adaptations use variations of his title or first name.