COLONEL ALEXI VAZHIN

Real Name: Alexi Mikhailovitch Vazhin

Identity/Class: Human (Russian)

Occupation: Head of mutant affairs in Russia, currently affiliated with American mutant affairs

Group Membership: Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR);
formerly KGB

Affiliations: Bishop, Colossus, Dr. Valerie Cooper, Maria-Pilar Cortes, Adrian Eiskalt, Flagwatch #133, Jerry Haliwell, Gabrielle Haller, Hulk, Tan Jemin, Major Debra Levin, Mystique, Omega Red, Agent Popova, Professor X, Major Sasha, Valentin Shatalov, Fyodr Shelkov, S.H.I.E.L.D., Alistaire Stuart, Thieves Guild, X-Factor (Angel, Beast, Cyclops, Iceman, Marvel Girl), X-Men

Enemies: Crimson Pirates (Bloody Bess, Broadside, Killian, Hound, Sea Dogs), Professor Daniel Ironwood, Priscilla "Cissy" Ironwood, General Nikolai Kutzov, Magneto, Mister M, Shadow King, Soul Skinner, Soviet Super Soldiers (Aistrike, Darkstar, Titanium Man, Ursa Major, Vanguard), Spider-Man, Tullamore Voge

Known Relatives: unnamed wife, unnamed children, unnamed grandchildren

Aliases: None

Base of Operations: Research annex of the 13th directorate of the KGB, Senskaya Square, Moscow, Russia

First Appearance: (robot duplicate) X-Men I#123 (July, 1979);
    (real Vazhin) Marvel Team-Up Annual#2 (1979)

Powers/Abilities: Colonel Vazhin is an accomplished intelligence operative with decades of experience, specializing in mutant affairs. He often carries a handgun, but has also worn a suit of protective armor.

History: (OHotMU 2006 A-Z#1 - BTS) - Alexi Vazhin worked together with the Agent (Rick Mason) and taught him a few things about the covert operative business.

(Classic X-Men#29/2) - When Colossus visited his family in Russia after some time away with the X-Men, he was hated by some of his old friends for not using his powers for the state, and wound up being sent to prison. Colossus was visited there by Colonel Alexi Vazhin, who let him out of his cell and set him free, revealing that the United States and Russia both had treaties preventing superhumans from serving in the military. Therefore, if Colossus would have to either become a Russian intelligence operative, or leave Russia forever. Vazhin supported Colossus' activities with the X-Men, noting that by saving the world, he was saving Russia as well. Vazhin then left Colossus to make his decision.

(Marvel Team-Up Annual#2) - Colonel Vazhin set after Professor Daniel Ironwood, who knew how to create an anti-matter bomb, but had been kidnapped by the rogue KGB General Nikolai Kutzov. Needing a bomb specialist, Vazhin captured Bruce Banner, needing both for his knowledge and his abilities as the Hulk. Banner agreed to aid him, but as they approached Kutzov's base, they were attacked by the Soviet Super Soldiers. Vazhin managed to escape the fight and confronted Kutzov, and was nearly beaten until Spider-Man arrived and saved him. Once the crisis was over, Vazhin shot Professor Ironwood dead to prevent the bomb from ever being recreated.

(Uncanny X-Men#194) - Vazhin met with his aide Sasha, who informed him how the mutant-killing Sentinel Nimrod had become hailed as a hero. Vazhin admitted to being perplexed at how the United States was making enemies of its own mutant population, and feared that it might set them all into jeopardy.

(Uncanny X-Men#263) - Vazhin had his aide Major Debra Levin bring Dr. Valerie Cooper to the nightclub "Wannabee's," dressed appropriately. Vazhin revealed that he had chosen the club because it was too noisy for them to be eavesdropped upon, and had too many frenzied thoughts for a telepath to read them. Vazhin revealed to Cooper that three of the most dangerous mutant-related menaces were those of the Mutant Liberation Front, Apocalypse and Mr. Sinister. He advised Cooper to not send America's superhumans to oppose Genosha, noting that if the hostilities between superhumans led to a superhuman war, it could spell the end of the Earth, and pointed to the recent "Acts of Vengeance" as an example.

(Uncanny X-Men#264) - Vazhin and Levin met with Dr. Cooper again, this time at her gym. Vazhin revealed to Dr. Cooper that he believed the Shadow King to be the greatest threat of all mutants, as he had the power to play all the factions against each other. He noted that with the dismantling of nuclear weapons, biological weapons such as mutants would be the "nukes" of the future.

(Excalibur I#33) - Colonel Vazhin and Major Levin spied upon the British Prime Minister in London as her analyst departed her home. Although Levin was interested in continuing their observation, Vazhin noted that they had to move on with their investigation of the Shadow King.

(X-Factor I#69) - Colonel Vazhin joined with S.H.I.E.L.D. and Professor X in briefing members of X-Factor for an assault upon Muir Island, where the Shadow King was known to have taken control several of the X-Men.

(Uncanny X-Men#280) - When X-Factor failed, Xavier set forth to confront the Shadow King while Vazhin prepared a nuclear strike for Muir Island in case Xavier failed.

(X-Men II#17) - When the Soul Skinner took over the town of Neftelensk, Vazhin conferred with Fyodr Shelkov and Valentin Shatalov and agreed to obtain Omega Red to pit against the Soul Skinner. When Omega Red failed to report in, Shelkov determined that they should resort to aging Colossus' sister Illyana back into adolescence so that she could defeat the Soul Skinner, but Flagwatch #133 reported to Vazhin that Colossus and the X-Men were in Russia, and Vazhin decided to confront them instead.

(X-Men II#18) - Vazhin led the X-Men to Neftelensk, and found Omega Red was in the thrall of the Soul Skinner. While the rest of the X-Men fought Omega Red, Vazhin had Colossus retreat with him so that he could come up with a strategy. The two men found that the children of Neftelensk were unaffected by the Soul Skinner's telepathic powers. Vazhin then revealed to Colossus the plan to age Illyana back into adolescence, incurring Colossus' wrath.

(X-Men II#19) - When Vazhin's men arrived in Neftelensk with Illyana, Colossus assaulted Vazhin, tearing his protective armor. His clash with Vazhin's men led the Soul Skinner to them. In psychic battle with the Soul Skinner, Colossus was able to weaken him, bringing the X-Men to their rescue. When Psylocke momentarily incapacitated him, Vazhin drew his gun and shot the Soul Skinner in the head.

(X-Men Unlimited I#2) - Colonel Vazhin attended a meeting with the Commission on Superhuman Activities, alongside Adrian Eiskalt and Gabrielle Haller, as they discussed the return of Magneto and the threat he posed to their respective nations.

(Uncanny X-Men#383 (fb) - BTS) - At some point, Vazhin assisted the Thieves Guild in New Orleans, granting him the organization's favour.

(X-Force I#102 - BTS) - Colonel Vazhin contacted Pete Wisdom to inform him about a bioreactor in San Francisco causing mutations.

(Uncanny X-Men#383 (fb)) - After sending Major Levin to investigate the slavery ring run by Ransome Sole in "the Slash" nightclub, Vazhin contacted the X-Men when she didn't return, using the Thieves Guild's debt to convince Gambit to assist him.

(Uncanny X-Men#384) - The X-Men returned with Major Levin, as well as Tullamore Voge, an alien slaver. Vazhin and Levin began to interrogate Voge, but their facility was raided by the Crimson Pirates, who defeated Vazhin and the X-Men while freeing Voge.

(X-Treme X-Men: X-Pose#1) - Manoli Wetherell held an interview with Colonel Vazhin and attempted to learn more about the X-Men from him, but Vazhin said little about his ties to the team.

(X-Treme X-Men#32-33) - Colonel Vazhin attended a meeting with Gambit and Storm alongside Dr. Cooper, Alistaire Stuart, Maria-Pilar Cortes and Tan Jemin, and listened to Storm's idea for a global task force to police mutant activities.

(X-Treme X-Men#35) - Vazhin met with Storm again to inform her that her porposal had been accepted on the provision that she bring down Tullamore Voge, who was now known to be operating in Tokyo, Japan.

(District X#7 - BTS) - After receiving a report on the powerful District X-dwelling mutant Mr. M from Bishop, Vazhin ordered an assassin to kill Mr. M, recognizing the danger his mutant powers posed.

(District X#8) - Bishop met with Vazhin after Mr. M survived the attempt, furious that Vazhin marked him for death. Bishop threatened to expose Vazhin's operations unless he left Mr. M alone.

(District X#14) - When the mutant Billy Bates took a hostage in District X, Vazhin had his agent Jerry Haliwell on the scene. After discovering that Bates had killed a member of Purity, Vazhin dispatched his Agent Popova to have Bates killed by firing a microwave gun at his head that would make him seem to go crazy, justifying his murder at the hands of a SWAT team. Bishop was kept in the dark of Vazhin's actions.

(Secret Warriors#1) - Under SHIELD's agent files Alexi was listed as a member of the Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR).

Comments: Created by Chris Claremont, John Byrne and Terry Austin.

Vazhin's name is sometimes misspelled as "Vashin."

Russia's answer to Nick Fury? What about Yuri Brevlov?
--Snood

by Prime Eternal

CLARIFICATIONS:
Alexi Vazhin should not be confused with:

• Vashom, planet in the Negative Zone, @ New Warriors II#1

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