General Georgi Koskov
Encyclopedia
General Georgi Koskov is a fictional character and the main antagonist in the James Bond
film The Living Daylights
. He was portrayed by Jeroen Krabbé
.
general in business for himself, who carefully plays both sides of the Cold War
. Initially, Koskov gives the impression of a somewhat anxious pawn in the battle between the Soviet Union
and the West, when he is, in reality, a mastermind using all means to his own advantage. He dotes on his mistress, Kara Milovy
, giving her all manner of expensive gifts, but when necessary will readily sign her death warrant.
Koskov fakes his own defection, using Milovy as a sniper
to make it look real. James Bond
is assigned in aiding him across the border into Austria
. Koskov is, however, working with black market arms dealer Brad Whitaker
. At a safe house in England, Koskov falsely and deliberately fingers KGB
head General Pushkin as the mastermind of "Smiert Shpionam" or "Death to Spies
," a plot to kill off American and British spies, knowing that the setup will lead to Pushkin's assassination, with Bond acting as the assassin. With Pushkin dead, he will then engage in a three-way arms deal with Whitaker and Colonel Feyador in Afghanistan to obtain valuable opium
. Once the deal ends, Koskov will return to Russia
with arms from the deal that gave them the payoff for the opium, a promise that the defection was an undercover assignment from Pushkin, and Bond in tow so he can gain control of the KGB (this last part is never actually said but is heavily implied). Luckily, Bond suspects the truth and helps Pushkin fake his death to force Koskov into the open.
However, Koskov tricks Milovy into distrusting Bond and kidnaps them both, taking them to Feyador's airbase in Afghanistan via aeroplane from Tangier
, although Bond is quickly able to win her trust back when he reveals that he was the 'assassin' who almost killed her (Koskov had given instructions for the assassin to be killed, but Bond recognised Kara's obvious inexperience with a rifle and merely shot the weapon rather than her). The two subsequently escape and Bond destroys the opium and later takes Whitaker down. This was the last attempt (again unsuccessful) that Koskov made to kill Bond, though on each occasion he had shown his cowardice by ordering others to target Bond rather than carry out a murder attempt himself.
It is then that Koskov is arrested by Pushkin, and it is implied that he is to be executed when Pushkin orders that he be put on the next plane to Moscow in a diplomatic bag
.
James Bond
James Bond, code name 007, is a fictional character created in 1953 by writer Ian Fleming, who featured him in twelve novels and two short story collections. There have been a six other authors who wrote authorised Bond novels or novelizations after Fleming's death in 1964: Kingsley Amis,...
film The Living Daylights
The Living Daylights
The Living Daylights is the fifteenth entry in the James Bond series and the first to star Timothy Dalton as the fictional MI6 agent 007. The film's title is taken from Ian Fleming's short story, "The Living Daylights"...
. He was portrayed by Jeroen Krabbé
Jeroen Krabbé
Jeroen Aart Krabbé is a Dutch actor and film director who has appeared in many Dutch and international films.-Biography:...
.
In the film
Koskov is a corrupt SovietRed Army
The Workers' and Peasants' Red Army started out as the Soviet Union's revolutionary communist combat groups during the Russian Civil War of 1918-1922. It grew into the national army of the Soviet Union. By the 1930s the Red Army was among the largest armies in history.The "Red Army" name refers to...
general in business for himself, who carefully plays both sides of the Cold War
Cold War
The Cold War was the continuing state from roughly 1946 to 1991 of political conflict, military tension, proxy wars, and economic competition between the Communist World—primarily the Soviet Union and its satellite states and allies—and the powers of the Western world, primarily the United States...
. Initially, Koskov gives the impression of a somewhat anxious pawn in the battle between the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
and the West, when he is, in reality, a mastermind using all means to his own advantage. He dotes on his mistress, Kara Milovy
Kara Milovy
Kara Milovy, played by Maryam d'Abo, is a fictional character in the 1987 James Bond film The Living Daylights.-Film biography:Bond has been informed that General Georgi Koskov is willing to defect from the Russians. As Koskov runs across the road to meet Bond, 007 spots a sniper, whom he...
, giving her all manner of expensive gifts, but when necessary will readily sign her death warrant.
Koskov fakes his own defection, using Milovy as a sniper
Sniper
A sniper is a marksman who shoots targets from concealed positions or distances exceeding the capabilities of regular personnel. Snipers typically have specialized training and distinct high-precision rifles....
to make it look real. James Bond
James Bond (character)
Royal Navy Commander James Bond, CMG, RNVR is a fictional character created by journalist and novelist Ian Fleming in 1953. He is the main protagonist of the James Bond series of novels, films, comics and video games...
is assigned in aiding him across the border into Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
. Koskov is, however, working with black market arms dealer Brad Whitaker
Brad Whitaker
Brad Whitaker is a fictional character and a major antagonist in the James Bond film The Living Daylights. He was portrayed by American actor Joe Don Baker. Baker also played Jack Wade, Bond's CIA contact in GoldenEye and Tomorrow Never Dies....
. At a safe house in England, Koskov falsely and deliberately fingers KGB
KGB
The KGB was the commonly used acronym for the . It was the national security agency of the Soviet Union from 1954 until 1991, and was the premier internal security, intelligence, and secret police organization during that time.The State Security Agency of the Republic of Belarus currently uses the...
head General Pushkin as the mastermind of "Smiert Shpionam" or "Death to Spies
SMERSH (James Bond)
SMERSH is a Soviet counterintelligence agency featured in Ian Fleming's early James Bond novels as agent 007's nemesis. СМЕРШ is an acronym from two Russian words: "SMERt' SHpionam" meaning "Death to Spies"...
," a plot to kill off American and British spies, knowing that the setup will lead to Pushkin's assassination, with Bond acting as the assassin. With Pushkin dead, he will then engage in a three-way arms deal with Whitaker and Colonel Feyador in Afghanistan to obtain valuable opium
Opium
Opium is the dried latex obtained from the opium poppy . Opium contains up to 12% morphine, an alkaloid, which is frequently processed chemically to produce heroin for the illegal drug trade. The latex also includes codeine and non-narcotic alkaloids such as papaverine, thebaine and noscapine...
. Once the deal ends, Koskov will return to Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
with arms from the deal that gave them the payoff for the opium, a promise that the defection was an undercover assignment from Pushkin, and Bond in tow so he can gain control of the KGB (this last part is never actually said but is heavily implied). Luckily, Bond suspects the truth and helps Pushkin fake his death to force Koskov into the open.
However, Koskov tricks Milovy into distrusting Bond and kidnaps them both, taking them to Feyador's airbase in Afghanistan via aeroplane from Tangier
Tangier
Tangier, also Tangiers is a city in northern Morocco with a population of about 700,000 . It lies on the North African coast at the western entrance to the Strait of Gibraltar where the Mediterranean meets the Atlantic Ocean off Cape Spartel...
, although Bond is quickly able to win her trust back when he reveals that he was the 'assassin' who almost killed her (Koskov had given instructions for the assassin to be killed, but Bond recognised Kara's obvious inexperience with a rifle and merely shot the weapon rather than her). The two subsequently escape and Bond destroys the opium and later takes Whitaker down. This was the last attempt (again unsuccessful) that Koskov made to kill Bond, though on each occasion he had shown his cowardice by ordering others to target Bond rather than carry out a murder attempt himself.
It is then that Koskov is arrested by Pushkin, and it is implied that he is to be executed when Pushkin orders that he be put on the next plane to Moscow in a diplomatic bag
Diplomatic bag
A diplomatic bag, also known as a diplomatic pouch is a kind of receptacle used by diplomatic missions. The physical concept of a "diplomatic bag" is flexible and therefore can take many forms e.g. an envelope, parcel, large suitcase or shipping container, etc...
.