Vyacheslav Khlebnikov

Vyacheslav Khlebnikov, commonly known as Slava, is a minor character in the video game Metro Exodus. He is a posthumous character in Metro Exodus and the main protagonist in the first DLC Metro Exodus: The Two Colonels.
He was the late father of Kirill Khlebnikov, who served as the Colonel of the OSKOM Rapid Response unit in Novosibirsk Metro, as well as a survivor in Novosibirsk. However, when tensions grew to a peak during the infamous riots in the Novosibirsk Station, Khlebnikov would later be betrayed by his former superior Anatoly Vinogradov, before going to the Sat-Com centre to find the maps needed to escape the dead city with his son.
Tragically, however, Khlebnikov was killed in action via irradiation due to the simian mutant known as the Blind One, who indirectly broke the last of his "green stuff", effectively expiring him. However, a month later, Sviatoslav Konstantinovich Mel'nikov would later retrieve the maps he obtained, thereby posthumously achieving his goal of finding a new home for his son in Lake Baikal.
==Overview==
Lieutenant Colonel Khlebnikov was a soldier for the OSKOM Unit who kept discipline in the Novosibirsk Metro System. He was eventually promoted to full Colonel (although this is never seen).
==Background==
===Metro Exodus===
During Artyom and Miller's investigation of the Novosibirsk Metro, his son Kirill mentions Khlebnikov, as well as in journal notes. General Vinogradov sent instructions to Khlebnikov to bring rioters to the Special Department before joining the defence of Sibirskaya, as well as an interrogation report he desired from the Special Department and a list of orders he left for Kirill.
===The Two Colonels===
Colonel Khlebnikov's whole story is told to Miller by his son, Kirill, after they split off from Artyom. The narrative begins on December 31, 2034, on New Year's Eve. Khlebnikov is clearing muck from a flooded station while also slaughtering worms.
He returns to Krasny Prospekt, where the New Year's celebrations are taking place, once the assignment is completed. He visits General Tolya, who informs him that they are ready to evacuate but have yet to identify a suitable location on the surface.
Khlebnikov makes excuses and heads to the station's higher floors, where he is reunited with his son, Kirill. The countdown to the New Year begins after General Tolya delivers a speech to those in attendance at the celebration. The joy is short-lived, as the electricity goes out one second later, in 2035.
After a few months, the situation becomes increasingly urgent as the Green Stuff becomes increasingly short. As a result, OSKOM is compelled to confiscate people' extra reserves, putting even more strain on morale. In a conference with General Tolya, Khlebnikov learns that the higher brass will be evacuated first. The agitators in the outer stations will conclude that the leadership intends to forsake the rest of the population, which Khlebnikov opposes. Tolya agrees, but claims that he has no control over the situation and that they must first take care of their family. With that, Khlebnikov exits the room.
Some troops warn them that a resident refuses to let them into his home, and they request the colonel to come and handle the situation. Petrovich, a buddy of Khlebnikov, turns out to be this citizen. The soldiers investigate his house and discover a concealed cache of Green Stuff, asking Khlebnikov if they should continue their search. Petrovich begs Khlebnikov to give him the Green Stuff because he needs it for his granddaughter. Khlebnikov now has the option of leaving with the Green Stuff they've already discovered or having the men look for more.
Khlebnikov then comes home to his son, who is furious because he witnessed OSKOM soldiers abusing an unarmed guy in Sibirskaya over Green Stuff. Khlebnikov assures his kid that the troops will apologise, but explains why they need to grab other people's Green Stuff.
After a few months, the citizens have revolted and are storming Sibirskaya, which Khlebnikov and the rest of OSKOM are compelled to defend. The OSKOM soldiers are eventually overcome, despite firing down, blowing up, and burning waves of protestors. Khlebnikov is on the verge of being executed, but is spared by OSKOM forces. Poison gas is discharged just then, and Khlebnikov barely makes it to safety with another soldier.
The soldier is the first to reach the top of the steps and alert General Tolya of the situation, but the general executes him. While the General notifies OSKOM leadership that the "pawns" have been dealt with, Khlebnikov, who was still coming up the steps, observes the soldier's body tumble down the stairs. Khlebnikov lashes out at his old buddy, recognising that he was the one who set the gas off and had no intention of evacuating everyone. Before pushing Khlebnikov off and keeping him at gunpoint, Tolya reveals that there was only enough Green Stuff for the leadership.
When the general inquires about the evacuation's progress, his men inform him that the train has already gone and that his son has died. General Tolya, enraged and bereft, orders his forces to stop the train and detonate an RPG before saying his goodbyes to Khlebnikov and killing himself in the head. The colonel passes out and is discovered by his son in the Novosibirsk Metro, the two being the final survivors.
Khlebnikov arrives to the Sat-Com facility a month before the Aurora Crew arrives, looking for a map with a clear location. Inside, he is compelled to combat a number of nosalis, including one that is blind. Khlebnikov kills the blind one, but his flamethrower is lost in the process. He's been exposed to a lot of radiation at this time. He contemplates taking a dosage of Green Stuff, but at the last second, he finds a map in a Stalker's dead hands and opens the canister. He snatches the radiation map of Lake Baikal he was looking for after scrutinising it and making his way towards the exit, but he is pursued by a blind one.
He attempts to steal the Green Stuff again after sneaking beneath a door, but is seized by a blind one. The Green Stuff vial is broken in the ensuing altercation, even if he manages to release himself. He then takes a seat in a chair and passes away.
Miller opens the door to the chamber where Khlebnikov spent his dying moments one month later and discovers his fellow soldier's body. Miller admits to recognising a lot of himself in Khlebnikov and swears that his ultimate mission was not in vain when they compare their lives for a few seconds. He pledges to deliver the timepiece to Kirill and see that he reaches safety after taking the satellite map and Khlebnikov's watch. Miller turns to depart after saluting his fellow soldier's body.
==Trivia==
*Vyacheslav is often referred as "slava" by his nickname, meaning "glory".
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