Kirill Khlebnikov

Kirill Khlebnikov is a minor character in the video game Metro Exodus, as well as a major character in Metro Exodus: The Two Colonels, the game's first DLC. He is a former member of the OSKOM Rapid Response unit in Novosibirsk Metro in Russia. He is the only surviving person left in the entire ruins of Novosibirsk, and more so in the namesake station, after it was destroyed from riots, and clings to his hope of his father Vyacheslav Khlebnikov being alive.
After getting saved by Mel'nik and Artyom, with the former sacrificing himself from severe irradiation, he later joins the Aurora Crew, being the last member to do so.
Kirill is voiced by Kyle Arem, who is the son of the voice actors Keith Arem and Valerie Arem.
==Background==
===History===
Kirill is the son of Lieutenant-Colonel Vyacheslav Khlebnikov of the OSKOM Rapid Response team, and is believed to be Novosibirsk's sole remaining survivor. Kirill, despite his age, takes his responsibilities extremely seriously and looks up to his father as a hero.
===Metro Exodus===
Miller and Artyom locate Kirill hidden in a drainage pipe while investigating the Novosibirsk Metro. When Artyom discovers him, he rushes at the ranger and flees, prompting Artyom to pursue him. Miller and Aryom eventually corner the youngster and discover him hidden in a barrel. Kirill believes the two are rioters and refuses to reveal any information until Miller says that they are from Moscow, which surprises Kirill.
He leads them to his hideout, where he confesses that he and his father, Colonel Vyacheslav Khlebnikov, were ready to flee the city just as the Aurora team arrived. His father went to a nearby Sat-Com centre to look for a clean location for the two of them to live, but he never came back. Miller understands that with this information, he may have a chance to finally discover the clean area the group has been looking for for the majority of their expedition.
He decides to go to the Sat-Com center with Kirill while Artyom searches the Institute for Renergan-F to cure Anna. Before they set out on their journey, Kirill warns them that they can't explore the surface without the "green stuff" (also known as a radioprotector), which will protect them from the deadly radiation. Luckily, Kirill still has some of the green stuff left over, though it was only three doses.
He presumably gave Artyom and Miller two dosages and kept the third for himself. Miller inquired about what had transpired in the city after Artyom had gone for the institution, and Kirill narrated the background. Miller told him to wait behind before going for the Sat-com centre, assigning him the job of radioing Artyom and Miller to coordinate their operations. After arriving at the Sat-com facility and discovering both Kirill's father's body and the maps, the colonel returned to fetch the van and Kirill before heading to the Institute to meet Artyom.
Kirill, together with Miller and Artyom, flees Novosibirsk. Artyom succumbs to radiation sickness shortly after Miller administers his dose of green stuff to him. Kirill tries to drive the van, but he can't reach the pedals, so Artyom, who is barely aware, drives the remainder of the trip. Kirill informs Artyom about Miller's heroic exploits on the way to the Sat-Com centre during their trip. When Artyom passes out as well, Kirill summons the Aurora and awakens Artyom just in time for his companions to come to their rescue.
Kirill appears in both endings and may be seen standing close to Nastya.
==Trivia==
*Kirill might be a reference to a character with the same name in Arkady and Boris Strugatsky's novel (1972). Both the Metro series and S.T.A.L.K.E.R. series are heavily influenced by the work in question.
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