Actress: Gina Carano

Name: Natasha Volkova*Russian name:* Наташа Волкова*Nationality:* Russian / Soviet*Place of birth:* Leningrad*Affiliation:* Soviet Union*Roles:* Commando, sniper, special operations agent*Specialities:* Precision shooting, pilot elimination, target designation for air strikes*Weapon:* SV Korshunov sniper rifle*Equipment:* Customised target designator*Counterparts:* Tanya Adams and Yuriko Omega*Conflict:* Third World War*Appearances:* Red Alert 3, Red Alert 3: Uprising, Red Alert Mobile
Status: Alive after the war.Natasha Volkova is a sniper and special operations agent for the Soviet Union. Regarded as one of the Red Army’s most dangerous fighters, she is deployed only when the situation demands the intervention of an exceptional Soldier.

But Natasha is also much more than just a Soldier.

She has become a true Soviet folk heroine.

Her name is known throughout the Union; she appears at national ceremonies and military parades, and items bearing her autograph can fetch considerable sums. Soviet propaganda celebrated her extraordinary marksmanship as much as her patriotism and devotion to the Motherland.

Between national heroine and ruthless killer

Behind the official image of the perfect heroine lies a much darker reputation.

Natasha is described as an extremely experienced professional, but some also regard her as a cold-blooded killer. Rumours circulate amongst the Soldiers regarding the cruelty she is said to have displayed in combat.

The Soviet government obviously does not appreciate this version of events being made public.

Journalists who question her military conduct or the veracity of her official biography may be sidelined or even imprisoned by the Soviet authorities.

This policy only serves to fuel the rumours further.

Some go so far as to claim that Natasha is not actually Soviet, that the woman presented to the public is not the ‘real’ Natasha, or even that Natasha Volkov is not a single person.

This latter theory is explained in particular by the incredible number of operations in which she is said to have taken part over a very short period.

A celebrity created by propaganda?

Official Soviet records, however, provide numerous details about her personality.

Natasha is said to have been born on 22 March in Leningrad. Her year of birth is deliberately concealed in her file. Her official interests include, in particular, hunting, ballet and raw food cuisine, whilst she is said to detest bureaucrats, paparazzi and pacifists.

Even her attire contributes to this media construct.

Her beret is presented as that of the ‘Lady of the People’, whilst she even carries photographs intended to be autographed with the Premier’s pen.

This paints a rather amusing but very Red Alert-esque picture of the character:

Natasha is simultaneously an extremely dangerous human weapon and a celebrity manufactured by Soviet propaganda.

The Soviet equivalent of Tanya

In Red Alert 3, each power has its own exceptional Commando unit:

Faction	Commando
Allied Forces	Tanya Adams
Soviet Union	Natasha Volkova
Empire of the Rising Sun	Yuriko Omega

But the three characters represent very different philosophies.Tanya specialises in infiltration, explosives and close-quarters combat.Natasha is first and foremost a sniper capable of eliminating a target from a very long distance.Yuriko uses her psychic and telekinetic abilities.

Natasha is therefore probably the most ‘conventional’ of the three, but her effectiveness stems from her ability to turn a simple sniper rifle into a weapon capable of neutralising practically an entire army.

The SV Korshunov rifle

Her primary weapon is an SV Korshunov sniper rifle.

Against infantry, Natasha can take out virtually any Soldier with a single shot.

She also possesses an extremely unique ability when it comes to vehicles.

Rather than directly destroying a tank or ground vehicle, Natasha takes out its pilot.

The vehicle is then left abandoned on the battlefield and can be recovered by an infantryman.

This ability suits the character perfectly: whereas Boris in Red Alert 2 used his firepower against vehicles, Natasha always prioritises the precise elimination of human targets.

Air strikes

To destroy buildings, she uses a different method.

Natasha possesses a target designator with which she marks an enemy structure.

Soviet bombers then intervene to destroy it.

Her role is therefore highly specialised:infantry → precision fire

vehicle → elimination of the Pilot

building → designation followed by an air strike It is this combination that makes her one of the most versatile units in the Soviet arsenal.

The Third World War

Natasha plays a particularly important role during the Third World War and sees action on numerous fronts.

In the Soviet campaign, she appears as early as the first mission.

Defence of Leningrad

The temporal disruption caused by Cherdenko led to the emergence of the Empire of the Rising Sun.

The Japanese then launched a massive invasion of the Soviet Union.

Leningrad was under direct threat.

Natasha takes part in the defence of the city, and in particular the Peter and Paul Fortress, against the forces of Kenji Tenzai.

She is then placed under the command of the new Soviet Commander.

This first operation immediately established her role in the campaign:

whenever a position needs to be recaptured or a priority target eliminated, Natasha is sent to the front line.## Krasna-45

After Leningrad, Natasha takes part in the recapture of Krasna-45, a Soviet aerospace facility located near Moscow and occupied by Imperial forces.

The Soviet Commander and Nikolai Moskvin are tasked with recapturing the complex.

Natasha is deployed to infiltrate the Japanese positions and assist in the recapture of the facility.

She then continues to take part in Soviet operations throughout the campaign.

This constant presence, incidentally, lends credence to theories within the universe that a single woman could not have been present on so many battlefields in such a short space of time.

An enemy who becomes Tanya’s ally

The Allied campaign gives Natasha a particularly interesting role.

When the Empire of the Rising Sun becomes too great a threat to be defeated alone, the Soviets and the Allies form a temporary alliance.

And this cooperation leads to a symbolic encounter:

Natasha and Tanya fight side by side. The two Commandos take part, in particular, in operations against Imperial forces around Gibraltar and the North Sea.

This is one of the most iconic scenarios in Red Alert 3: two heroines who normally represent opposing sides must combine their abilities against a third power.

Tanya brings her short-range firepower to bear.

Natasha takes out targets from a distance.

The duo proves extremely effective against the Imperial forces.

The return of the Soviet–Allied war

This cooperation does not, of course, last.

Once the Empire has been sufficiently weakened, the alliance between the two former powers breaks down and the war resumes.

In the Allied campaign, the final offensive takes Western forces as far as Leningrad, where Cherdenko attempts to flee Earth.

Unconfirmed reports suggest that Natasha took part in the final Soviet defence of Leningrad against the Allied Forces and that she survived the fall of the city.

After the war: Uprising

Natasha survives the Third World War and continues to be associated with Soviet forces during the events of Uprising. She remains one of the leading Soviet figures of this period.

The Commander’s Challenge also provides an interesting detail about her post-war activities.

During a clash on the north-east coast of Brazil, Natasha is said to have taken part in a particularly significant battle.

The area was subsequently found littered with abandoned but still serviceable military vehicles.

The reason is typical of Natasha:

she had simply shot down their pilots.

This gave rise to the Scavenger scenario, in which the abandoned vehicles can be salvaged.

Natasha and Boris

Boris is the great Soviet Commando from Red Alert 2.

Natasha occupies exactly this role in Red Alert 3.

Both can call in an air strike on buildings, but Natasha swaps Boris’s assault rifle for a proper sniper rifle.

She can therefore be seen as his functional successor in terms of gameplay, but not as his official successor in the lore: the temporal discrepancies between the different games make any direct connection uncertain.