Sofiya Pavlovna

Russia (Former)

**Balalaika**  (**バラライカ**) is a character of the Black Lagoon series.

She has a cameo appearance in Taimanin RPGX

## Personality

Due to Balalaika's leadership during the hellish fighting in Afghanistan, her men look up to her as their superior and will do just about anything upon her orders. As a combat officer, she is a skilled strategist and well-rounded fighter, capable of taking care of herself despite the fact that all of her troopers.

Although she has shown herself to be rather cynical on occasion, she is also a pragmatic, opportunistic, and professional businesswoman. She is also downright ruthless, willing to go to whatever means to get what she wants. She frequently employs Dutch and The Lagoon Company, apparently because they share a mutual respect.
Balalaika regards herself and her men as soldiers who missed their chance to die in Afghanistan. While some of her actions can be interpreted as attempts to pursue an honorable death in combat for her men, Balalaika's status as a military figure is tempered by her role in the criminal underground.

Balalaika is also one of the few people to earn the respect of Revy, who calls her "Sis".

## Appearance

Balalaika is a tall, blonde haired blue-eyed woman with scars across her face, neck, breasts, and leg. Her hair is very long, going down to the base of her spine, and done up in a huge ponytail. She is usually seen wearing a wine red skirt suit with black stockings and black high heels. Her nails are long, and painted pink. She also wears rose-colored lipstick. She has a mole under her left eye. Whenever traveling, she wears a Russian military coat draped off her shoulders with a rank insignia of a Soviet/Russian Army Captain. However, she removes it when it is considered polite.

## History

Before joining the mafia, Balalaika was a captain in the Soviet Army, Vozdushno-Desantnye Vojska' (translate from Russian: air assault troops), also known as the VDV, paratrooper and a veteran of the Soviet war in Afghanistan. A fine marksman and sniper, she received the nickname "Balalaika" (one of the Soviet army's slang terms for the Dragunov sniper-rifle).
Balalaika can be easily identified by the burn marks which scar most of the right side of her face, neck, upper chest, breasts and leg which she sustained in Afghanistan, earning her the nickname "Fry-Face". She supposedly sustained the scars from being tortured for protecting refugees in Afghanistan, stated by a former soldier of hers in the light novel.

In April 1986, while on an international illegal operation outside of Soviet territory, Balalaika and her unit saved a child who was in a refugee camp. The media recorded the event that led to the “Voluntary Discharge” of Balalaika and her unit; promptly deserting the Soviets forces.
Balalaika arrived in Roanupur in 1993, now a prominent member of the Russian mafia, which led to a large-scale conflict with the already-established Triads under Chang's leadership. Rather than destroy the city, a peace was brokered between the rival criminal organizations by Dutch.
When conducting foreign operations from Thai soil, she uses the Russian cargo ship Maria Zeleska as a legal cover from the police and various law enforcement agencies.
In Japan, she uses the pseudonym Vladilena N. Vasilinov to waltz audaciously through a law enforcement barricade by claiming to be covered by diplomatic immunity in the Fugiyama Gangsta Paradise story arc. She also gives her name as Jane Doe to Caxton in El Baile de la Muerte.

### Timeline RPGX

Appears in a cameo chapter. Most of her appearance is changed to reflect the future time setting.

In the past, Balalaika is stated to have met Igawa Asagi while on a job. Both women started to respect each other and share some level of information. Revy later on revealed some information to a journalist that wrote a "based on true events" manga/anime about her called "Black Lagoon" but nobody was really aware a real Balalaika existed.

When conflict overseas regarding the Orc Pirates broke out near Kotrara Island, a short alliance between the Taimanin and her is formed. Hiring Levy, to cooperate with the Taimanin and find out the truth about the events.

Balalaika is quick to figure out the Orc Pirates that have been supplied with high-tech weapons of Task Force G, were only pawns in a fake armed uprising that would be brought down by a UFS-Russia partnership to gain control over Kotrara Island. Surprised by the Taimanin Task Force leader Kotaro that also was able to discover that connection, she remains in the background most of the event.

However, Balalaika gives a party in which she meets David Dahl voicing politely her dislike for him and distancing herself from any plans he has.

## Powers/Abilities

**Main Weapon**: Dragunov sniper-rifle

* **Expert with guns**: Skillful with her sniper rifle.
* **Leadership Skills**
* **Skilled Tactician and Negotiator**

## Media

* Black Lagoon
* Black Lagoon (Anime)
* Taimanin RPGX

## Trivia

* Just like Super Sonico she is not owned by Lilith Soft and a pure cameo.