Balalaika

バラライカ

Balalaika runs Hotel Moscow. Her birth name is Sofiya Pavlovna. Her grandfather, the military chief of the USSR, raised her. Prior to entering the mafia, Balalaika served as a captain in the Soviet Army and as a paratrooper in the Vozdushno-Desantnye Vojska during the Soviet war in Afghanistan. A proficient marksman and sniper, she earned the nickname "balalaika," which is one of the Soviet Army's slang terms for the Dragunov sniper rifle. Because of Balalaika's leadership during the brutal combat in Afghanistan, her subordinates view her as their superior and will do almost anything when she gives orders. As a combat officer, she is a capable strategist and a well-rounded fighter, able to handle herself even though all of her troopers, including Boris, frequently worry about her. While she has occasionally appeared quite cynical, she is also a pragmatic and professional businesswoman. She often hires Dutch and the Lagoon Company, seemingly because they share mutual respect.
Balalaika is easily recognized by the burn scars covering most of the right side of her face, neck, and chest, which she sustained in Afghanistan; these injuries earned her the nickname "Fry-Face" from those who dislike her. She has long blonde hair and typically wears a military greatcoat over a low-cut business suit. She smokes cigars, unlike the other characters who smoke cigarettes. Based on her service in Afghanistan and the missed chance to compete in the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, she is between 31 and 35 years old. She is one of the few individuals to gain Revy's respect. Conversely, Balalaika also appears to hold Rock in high esteem, occasionally depending on his knowledge and business acumen.
During critical operations, Balalaika summons a personal group of ex-Soviet airborne troops and Spetsnaz commandos who are veterans of Afghanistan. Known as the Desantniki, they serve as Hotel Moscow's special operations team. When carrying out foreign operations from Thai territory, she uses the Russian cargo ship Maria Zeleska as a legal shield against the police and various law enforcement agencies. Although Balalaika is on the Interpol list, she uses the pseudonym Vladilena N. Vasilinov in Japan, protected by diplomatic immunity.